Cambridgeshire Police given almost £500k for women's safety

Funds are being made available to help tackle violence against women and girls

A police force has been given more than £470,000 in a bid to tackle violence against women and girls.

The money has been given to Cambridgeshire Police from the government's Safer Streets Fund.

The money will be used for projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces for all, but with a particular focus on women and girls.

The force said it planned "several strategies with the aim of making our communities a safer place for all".

A spokesman said "crimes which take place in public places such as sexual harassment, disproportionately affect women".

He added the force had "created a selection of innovative plans to increase the safety of public spaces, including projects which emphasise changing attitudes and behaviours in local communities".

Supt Kate Anderson, who submitted the bid for government funding on behalf of Cambridgeshire Police, said: "Everyone has the right to walk down the street and feel safe, without fear of harassment or violence.

"I am pleased that as a partnership we have been able to secure this funding to prevent crime, and to identify and hold to account those people who ignore the law.

"Some of this money will be used to tackle predators so we can stop and prevent these abhorrent crimes and keep women and girls safe."

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: "I am so pleased with the announcement that Cambridgeshire is set to receive additional funding to tackle violence on our streets, in particular against women and girls.

"The money will be used to implement several strategies, all with the main aim of making our communities a safer place to be for all.

"The initiatives are designed to have a long-lasting effect on preventing crime and improving the lives of our residents."

The money awarded to Cambridgeshire Police - £471,314 - is part of the latest tranche of £23.5m funding awarded to police forces to "make public spaces safer for all through projects to help women and girls feel safer on our streets", the government announced at the weekend.

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