'I was attacked when there wasn't safe travel home'

Cailtin was refused a free taxi home

After being attacked while walking home from work, Caitlin Lee has helped secure free transport home for late night workers in Glasgow.

She was sexually assaulted in Glasgow city centre after her employer refused to provide transport home at night.

Caitlin, 26, led the Get Me Home Safely campaign, alongside the Unite union.

Glasgow City Council has now passed a motion requiring hospitality businesses to provide free and safe transport after 23:00.

The rule will apply to any new alcohol licences, or existing businesses applying for extended operating hours.

Caitlin hopes the approved council motion could prevent similar attacks from happening.

• City night-time industry must provide staff travel

• Read more stories from Glasgow and West Scotland

In July, Caitlin was working at a city centre hotel when her employer refused to provide transport home and her last bus didn't show up.

She said a late night taxi home could cost low-paid hospitality workers as much as two hours of wages.

She told BBC Scotland: "I was sexually assaulted in the city centre in Glasgow.

"I took it to my employer and tried to explain why it was so important - that they should've done it for me that night.

"It was a lack of duty of care and acknowledging any responsibility.

"That got Unite more involved. We started looking at how we could enforce it on employers through the licensing board and the council."

'Safety should not be a luxury'

Indie has worked in late night bars for years

Indie Muir, 24, works in a late night bar and restaurant in the west end of Glasgow.

"This is a huge step forward in the service industry in Glasgow," she said.

"Having been working in hospitality for many years now, I think it's well overdue to have safe transport guaranteed for employees."

Indie has worked in different late night bars and clubs in Glasgow alongside her studies.

At her current job, her shift could end as late as 02:00 and she would have to walk home.

She added: "I definitely feel like I can go to work feeling a lot more at ease knowing I'll be able to get home safely without worrying about being able to afford it.

"Safety should not be a luxury."

Venues have to reapply for their licence every three years and the council can refuse renewal if they do not meet licensing objectives.

Caitlin said: "The whole council unanimously agreed with the motion, and one of the main things they recognised was that even though it's focused on hospitality, at it's heart it's about women's safety and tackling gender-based violence on a municipal issue.

"We knew our women members were actually experiencing these issues and councillors realised that as well."

The motion could take a while to be legally ratified but Caitlin said it has sent a clear message to employers and employees.

She said: "If employers are not supplying taxis, it's on us as a union to demand it and the council to enforce it.

"If employers refuse, we can use our union strength to point to Glasgow City Council's decision and enforce it through the workers."

Since Unite's Get me Home Safely campaign was launched in 2021, schemes have been introduced by Edinburgh City Council, East Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Falkirk and Dundee.