Women's safety: Redbridge Council calls for more government action

The council introduced fines for street harassment last year

Redbridge Council has called on the government to introduce harsher penalties for street harassment in line with its own women's safety programme.

Last year, the council became the first in London to fine a man for catcalling a woman in the street.

It came after growing concerns about women's safety following cases like the murder of Zara Aleena in June 2022.

The government previously said it was considering introducing a specific offence for public sexual harassment.

As part of its efforts to improve women's safety, Redbridge Council expanded a public space protection order (PSPO) to enforce against catcalling and harassment in the borough.

It implemented the measure after research showed 68% of women and girls experienced street harassment at least once a month in Ilford.

The survey of over 2,500 residents also found that 98% of respondents had experienced catcalling, while 27% said they did not report the incidents due to a lack of confidence in the police.

'Change the culture'

The council has since launched its women's safety mission statement and has pledged to go forward with a "collaborative multi-sectoral approach" to make the borough safer.

The council's measures include making sure public places are well-lit, increasing police presence, and educating men and boys on consent and healthy relationships.

Jas Athwal, Labour leader of Redbridge Council, told BBC Radio London the new measures aimed to "change the culture".

He said the PSPO sent a "clear message" to perpetrators that "they will be named and shamed", and that it had been "widely welcomed" by the local community.

Mr Athwal added he wanted women and girls to feel "empowered that they can complain, they will be listened to and we will take action".

Councillor Jas Athwal (centre) said the council wanted to make women feel "empowered"

In December last year, the government confirmed that it supported a bill for "a specific offence for public sexual harassment", and hoped that this would encourage more women to come forward and report crimes to the police.

At the time Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the government was "putting the needs of victims at the heart of our decision".

But Mr Athwal has called for more urgency, saying Redbridge Council would lobby the government to "stop talking about bringing this into law and just do it".

In response, a Home Office spokesperson said the bill was "undergoing the appropriate debate and scrutiny from MPs and peers", and that "every woman should feel safe to walk our streets without fear of harassment or violence".

Analysis

By Sonja Jessup, BBC London home affairs correspondent

Campaigners have long been calling for more to be done to tackle street harassment, saying the impact on women and girls is not taken seriously enough.

For Redbridge Council, who say most victims don't feel comfortable reporting it to police, having its own plain-clothed officers on the look-out for offenders is about being pro-active - and certainly the women we spoke to welcomed the approach.

But how effective will it be?

Since December, the council says it's issued one fine specifically for catcalling, along with others related to alcohol and anti-social behaviour.

Campaigners say it's also about preventing harassment in the first place by having better education and awareness, starting from an early age.

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