Cardiff: Woman describes fears of walking city streets alone

Nikita says an incident with an unknown man left her fearing for her life

A woman has said she tries to avoid walking home alone late at night after an incident with an unknown man left her fearing for her life.

Nikita, a student in Cardiff, said the man ran at her as she walked home in the early hours of the morning.

A second man stepped in to intervene, giving Nikita a chance to get away.

"In my head at the time I was just like 'this is how I'm going to die'," she recalled.

The 22-year-old said she did not share the incident with anyone after it happened because it felt like people would not "ask the right questions".

Nikita said: "They ask you 'why were you out that late or what were you wearing?' They just go on trying to tell you what your fault is in all of this."

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Nikita, from India, said she was generally happy in the "beautiful city" of Cardiff but now tries to avoid walking home alone.

"After that incident I've never not been on the phone while walking home," she added.

"I always have keys stuck in my hand just because I think it might make me feel safer."

Rose, 26, who also lives in Cardiff, said she did not feel the city was a safe place to be a woman.

"I always go out of my way not to be alone, even in the early morning," she said.

Rose says Cardiff feels riskier than other cities she has lived in

Rose, who moved to Cardiff for work after living in London and Paris, said she was "very alert to the risks of living in a big city".

She said Cardiff felt "riskier than other places", adding poorly lit streets in some areas meant it did not feel "a safe place to be".

Despite her concerns, she said she still "loves living in Cardiff".

"You're willing to complain about something like this because you love a city and you want to feel safe in it," she added.

In the city centre, some women echoed the concerns of Nikita and Rose.

"I wouldn't say I feel exactly safe," said Alexandra, 20.

"I tend to keep towards the light of shops that are really out in the open, especially during the night."

But others said they felt the city was a safe place to be.

Bethan, 23, said: "I feel safer in Cardiff than I have in other cities."

While Sarah, 44, said: "I feel very safe, myself, I've had no problems down here. Everyone's friendly and I just feel comfortable."

The campaign group Love Your Period said more than 70 people gathered in Cardiff last month as part of the Reclaim the Night march to "raise awareness of women's safety".

Alyssa Gully, deputy director of Love Your Period, said the response from the public "was positive in some regards" but there were also "people who were threatening".

More than 70 people gathered in Cardiff in November as part of the Reclaim the Night march

Research by For Cardiff, a group representing businesses in the city, found one in five women said they did not venture out after dark because of concerns about safety.

The group has launched a 24-hour safety charter which encourages businesses in the city to train staff to recognise those in need.

Businesses signed up to the charter display posters and stickers to let customers know that if they ask for Angela, they can expect to be helped.

"They will know that they can go in and there will be someone there who is trained in women's safety and they will be able to help them," said Jess Davies, an ambassador for the charter.

'Policing can't do this alone'

Supt Arabella Rees from South Wales Police said tackling the issue of women's safety was "an absolute policing priority".

"Policing can't do this alone so it's really important that we continue to work with our partners in order to face down the challenges that violence against women and girls presents in our city," said Supt Rees.

The South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner's office said £750,000 in extra funding had been secured to deliver a series of initiatives aimed at keeping women safe in Cardiff.

It added the money would be used on a number of different approaches, including street-based CCTV cameras in key locations and updated lighting in targeted underpasses.

Cardiff council said the city was "among the safest" in the UK but was keen to improve safety for residents and visitors.

If you have been affected by any issues raised in this article, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line.