Call 888, a lifeline for lone women
I AM outraged that women and girls can’t walk the streets of this country without fear of attack. I applaud BT chief executive Philip Jansen’s initiative to introduce the 888 phone number and tracking app to give some reassurance when out alone. Following the murder of Sarah Everard, there must be changes in the recruitment and selection of police officers. Training and vetting needs to be implemented rigorously across the whole police service, not just the Met. There will always be those with evil intent, but we must ensure they are not able to infiltrate the organisations that people expect to be able to turn to. We should be confident that help will be forthcoming when needed.
PETER NAYLOR, Worthing, W. Sussex. THE temptation to make new laws and implement knee-jerk reactions is standard practice for politicians who crave popular headlines. Hence we should not be surprised that Priti Patel is in favour of taxpayers funding a mobile app and phone number to help vulnerable women by providing a ‘walk me home’ service. The Police Federation is quite right to highlight the possibility of a system designed to protect being misused and creating more work for officers.
DES MORGAN, Swindon, Wilts.
THE 888 ‘walk me home’ service is commendable. When my son and daughter went to university in Leeds and Manchester, it broke my heart to leave them in a strange city, on their own after 18 years under my wing. I bought them each a mobile phone so that whenever they were walking home or anywhere on their own, they could ring me or their mother. When they got to their destination, we said goodbye, knowing they were safe. I consider it my responsibility to ensure the welfare of my family; I do not expect the Government to have to do that.
A. BULLOCH, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear. THE well-meaning 888 number for women to summon police if they feel threatened has one fatal flaw: Sarah Everard’s murderer, Wayne Couzens, was the police.
YVONNE WILL, Cuddington, Bucks. ANYTHING that protects women from predators can only be a good thing. The problem is that the 888 initiative is backed by Priti Patel, so it probably won’t happen.
ALAN JACOBS, Biddenham, Beds. WHY ring 888 if you feel in danger? What’s wrong with calling 999?