Speak out about unsafe places

Women and girls in West Lothian can have their say on public spaces and places where they feel unsafe.

The Supporting Women and Girls initiative aims to help women feel safer in West Lothian’s public spaces and places.

The initiative will also provide a way for women and girls in West Lothian to speak up about the public areas where they feel unsafe and highlight to men the role they can have in helping women and girls feel safer.

The West Lothian Community Safety Partnership (CSP) – which is made up of West Lothian Council, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Centre, Voluntary Organisations and the Health and Social Care Partnership – wanted to improve women’s safety across West Lothian and was inspired following the death of Sarah Everard in London.

Executive councillor for Economy, Community Empowerment and Wealth Building, Kirsteen Sullivan, said:“It is unacceptable that any woman or girl doesn’t feel safe when within a public space and small changes can make a big difference.

“This campaign is about the safety of women and girls in public spaces and places, so it’s about feeling safe when you are walking home, waiting for a taxi or walking the dog.

“We are encouraging women to speak up and tell us about the public spaces and places where they do not feel safe, and we are also encouraging men to think about how their behaviour in public places can make women feel.”

You can highlight the public spaces where you feel unsafe by using a new online form which can be found at: www.westlothian.gov.uk/ womenandgirls.