Women working in hospitality in Portsmouth offered tracking app to make sure they get home safely amid a rise in sexual offences

Night clubs and restaurants in the city are being offered free year-long licences for the Stay Safe phone app as part of a new bid by Portsmouth City Council and Shaping Portsmouth to help women feel safer.

The user of the app will be able to log when she leaves work and then again when she reaches home, with her whereabouts picked up by a Milton Keynes based control centre to ensure she reaches her destination.

If she feels unsafe along the way she will be connected to a call handler to speak to while she walks, and if the situation escalated the handler can then contact the police and give them her co-ordinates.

Stef Nienaltowski, the chief executive officer of Shaping Portsmouth, told The News: ‘Absolutely it’s a shame something like this is even needed. I have three daughters and even though they are grown-up they say they don’t feel safe, they have to travel in packs.

‘This is really worth businesses getting involved in. Not only will it help women feel safer but it sends a message to any potential predators. If they think a woman could have this as protection it could deter them from following her or doing something.’

It comes as Hampshire police recorded an increase in sexual offences in Portsmouth last year, with 80 per cent of those involving a female victim.

In the 12 months up to June 2021 they recorded 845 incidents of sexual offences in Portsmouth, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of nine per cent compared to the previous year.

There were also 93 recorded offences against women and girls in 2020 in public places - highlighting the need to better equip those who may be a witness to a crime or the build-up or aftermath of an incident.

The free app offer is in place for the hospitality sector until March 2023 and will be funded by the government. But Mr Nienaltowski was hoping to include shop workers in the trial.

‘We have spoken to women who have felt unsafe on the streets of Portsmouth,’ he said.

‘From feedback we have asked to extend this trial to the retail sector as well as we heard from a lot of shops who said they have female staff walking home at night after shifts.

‘I would urge any hospitality businesses to get in touch with Shaping Portsmouth as soon as possible. We will get the licences downloaded and out to them from today.’

Zoe Jackson, from sexual assault charity Aurora New Dawn, welcomed the offer but believed a different approach was needed.

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She said: ‘Anything that makes women feel safer walking home is a good thing, but we should not have to rely on apps, better street lighting or increased CCTV in order to feel safe.

‘The issue here is male violence, and until that is tackled proactively and systemically, women and girls will continue to feel unsafe in public spaces.’

As reported, the city council is also offering training to people who work in the city at night, including taxi and bus drivers, and bar and hotel staff, to identify and prevent potential crimes against women and girls over the next couple of months.

Councillor Dave Ashmore, the city’s community safety boss, said: ‘By working closely with the police and equipping those who work in the city at night with the knowledge, understanding and confidence to act, we can continue to improve the safety of our streets. I'd also encourage anyone who witnesses a crime or is worried someone is at risk from violence, harassment or abuse to contact the police.’

Nine training sessions will be held throughout February and March.

To book a free place on the council’s training course please visit eventbrite.co.uk/cc/community-in-motion-training-111369.

Or if you are a business who would like to sign up to the Stay Safe app offer contact Shaping Portsmouth via shapingportsmouth.co.uk.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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