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‘You said, we did’ – Key locations identified where women and girls feel unsafe as part of our Walk in My Shoes campaign |
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Key locations where women and girls feel unsafe have been identified as part of our Walk in My Shoes campaign. Measures to tackle these problem areas are now underway in Nottingham city centre, Newark, Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Rushcliffe. We launched our Walk in My Shoes campaign at the end of March 2025 to find out the areas where women and girls felt unsafe. The survey was extended to November 7 after initial analysis of the data revealed a low uptake from ethnic minority communities. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Nottinghamshire supported with some targeted community engagement with ethnically diverse communities to ensure their voices were heard. Our bespoke survey attracted more than 3,600 responses and was supported by Nottingham Forest Netball Team, Tara’s Angels, and These Girls Run, who had changed their running route due to safety fears. The results found: More than 2,700 women and girls changed their walking or running route to avoid areas where they felt unsafe. More than 2,300 women experienced unwanted behaviour from men in a public space in the last year with harassment and staring the most common experiences. Nearly 90 percent of women and girls felt the most unsafe in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in the evening and at night. The top three suggestions to improve safety were - more police visibility in identified areas, changes to the environmental landscape such as additional CCTV, lighting and cutting back bushes and trees and a safe space for refuge. Inspector Hayley Crawford, who launched the Ask for Angela initiative designed to keep women safe on a night out, was tasked with analysing the survey results. With the help of our Designing Out Crime Officers, who provide expert advice in making areas safer, they visited each location and came up with sustainable solutions. Inspector Crawford then held meetings with key partners including local councils and the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to look for funding opportunities.
Nottingham City Centre
Most women and girls surveyed described Angel Row and Long Row as an area where they felt the most unsafe with unwanted behaviour taking place in Old Market Square. Targeted police patrols are being carried out in these locations during the evenings and at night especially at weekends. The city council has also funded security patrols, which are also covering these areas. A Safe Point, located on Angel Row, will be installed by the 31st March 2026. This camera-operated button with direct links to the police control room will ensure that women and girls can immediately alert officers when they experience feelings of unsafety. City centre bus operators and drivers will be trained in how to notice inappropriate behaviour and how to support women and girls who feel unsafe on their networks. Rushcliffe, Broxtowe and Gedling
River path next to County Hall has been identified as an unsafe space for women and girls. Female runners were avoiding this area due to poor lighting. Increased police patrols are being carried out at key times. Nottinghamshire Police will work with a local homeless charity and the local council to tackle the encampments that are currently along the canal near County Hall. Notices are being served on any tents that appear. Nottingham City Council’s major projects team will be taking forward the lighting scheme for the southside of the embankment. They are seeking funding in the next financial year with a view to implementing a scheme in 2026. Ashfield
Unwanted behaviour and safety fears have been experienced around Forest Street and Fox Street in Ashfield. Increased police patrols are being carried out in these areas. Thanks to these additional patrols, a vulnerable woman was safely taken home by our officers. Funding has been approved by the OPCC to upgrade the CCTV in the area. There is already a Safe Point in the town centre, not far from the location identified. Mansfield
Women and girls feel most unsafe around the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, with most unwanted behaviour taking place in this vicinity. Increased targeted police patrols are being carried out in this area to enhance visibility. Talks have taken place with Mansfield District Council who are working with our Designing Out Crime Officers to improve safety in this area. Regeneration work around the Market Place will also help solve some of these safety concerns. There is also a Safe-Point in place outside the Four Seasons shopping centre. Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood
Middle Gate in Newark was identified as a key area where women and girls feel unsafe. Increased targeted police patrols are being carried out in these areas. Newark and Sherwood District Council have spoken to Nottinghamshire County Council about cleaning the gaslight-style lighting in this area as part of their programme of cleaning works which will improve visibility by 25 percent. Newark District Council are also looking at improving lighting in the area in addition to the street lights being cleaned. There is also an appetite by Newark and Sherwood District Council to install a Safe Point in this area in the future. Superintendent Heather Maelor, force lead for the Prevention Hub, which covers Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) said: “The safety of women and girls across our city and county is of paramount importance to us as a police service. It is vitally important that women and girls feel safe when walking or running in their local area. “Violence Against Women and Girls is a national priority and as you would expect we take all reports of this nature extremely seriously. “I would like to personally thank everyone who has taken the time to fill out our survey and tell us about their personal experiences. “This is the first time we have carried out an extensive survey of this size to fully understand where women and girls feel unsafe. “From the start we were committed to ensuring this survey was a ‘you said, we did’ approach. “It is more important than ever that we now work with our partners to deliver these changes. Only a partnership approach is going to ensure our communities feel safer. “Of course, our work does not stop here. While we are addressing a number of key areas, we know there will be other areas where women and girls feel unsafe. “Perhaps you didn’t have the chance to fill out our survey or were not aware of it. We would therefore encourage anyone who has concerns to contact their local neighbourhood policing team, either through their social media pages, by email or by calling them directly. “All the details can be found on our website. This data is vitally important so that we can ensure our officers are in the areas where you feel most unsafe and that sustainable solutions are found to improve your local area.”
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