Council commits to women’s safety by signing Women’s Charter
Collaborative strategy aims to improve safety and tackle violence
West Northamptonshire Council has joined more than 90 organisations in signing a charter aimed at improving safety for women and girls across the county.
The authority has committed to the Northamptonshire Women’s Charter, an initiative led by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone. The scheme calls on organisations to demonstrate how they are working to make workplaces and communities safer for women.
Those signing up receive guidance from crime prevention specialists, along with access to training and resources designed to help improve safety across their premises.
The council said the move builds on its wider work to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence. It recently approved a countywide strategy developed in partnership with other agencies, focused on preventing abuse, supporting victims and holding perpetrators to account.
The commissioner also set out an ambition to halve violence against women and girls in Northamptonshire within the next decade, working alongside local partners.
Stone visited the council’s offices at One Angel Square in Northampton to mark the signing, presenting leader of the council Mark Arnull with a certificate and discussing future collaboration.
Cllr Arnull said the council was “proud” to support the charter.
“We are committed to improving the safety of women and girls and to working with partners across the county to make a real difference,” he said.
He added that the council’s domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy reflected its aim to create communities where abuse is “neither tolerated nor hidden”.
Stone said action was needed collectively to address violence against women and girls.
“I am delighted that West Northamptonshire Council, one of the largest employers in the county, has signed up,” she said.
“Working together, we must do all we can to ensure women feel safe where they live and work.”
Organisations across Northamptonshire can sign up to the charter through the commissioner’s website