Police commissioner launches female safety charter

Northamptonshire's police, fire and crime commissioner says businesses and organisations have been open to the project

A county's police, fire and crime commissioner has launched a new scheme to help organisations and businesses reduce violence against women and girls.

Danielle Stone said the Northamptonshire Women's Charter had been signed by groups who were committed to making women's safety a "top priority" in the workplace.

The Labour commissioner said her office would help signatories with training, specialist survey support to inform workplaces about changes women want to see and support to create workplace policies that prevent harm.

Stone said the project would help organisations "think through what contribution they can make to stop violence against women and girls".

Eight organisations have agreed to sign the charter, including London Northwestern Railway, Northampton Town Football Club, Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

She said other business and groups had been "remarkably open" to the project.

"I'm passionate about supporting the government's agenda to halve violence against women and girls in the next 10 years. We need everyone behind that idea," Stone said.

The commissioner added the charter was not "just about a pretty piece of paper to hang on the wall, it's about giving people the tools for the job".