Agenda item

Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

The Committee received a Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police concerning VAWG activity.

The Chair welcomed the update as very encouraging; she asked officers to ensure that they were doing all they could to promote the work externally.

She added that it was important that the right portals and avenues for girls and women to contact the Police were established and clear; positive early contact between victims and the Police were critical to ensure progress in this area.

A Member asked officers to ensure that they were engaged with the emerging plans for Destination City, particularly given the concerns of local residents that a likely result of the renewed drive to build up the night-time economy in the City, would be an increase in anti-social behaviour.

A Member queried a couple of points on the Reframe the Night campaign posters, referring to page 108 in the agenda pack, she pointed to her experience as a professor at university, where a common occurrence in recent years was for young men to choose to not step in to scenarios where young women were being harassed due to concerns that they themselves would be accused of wrongdoing.

Given that the activity in this area should not just be left to the Police to respond to, the Chair asked officers to identify areas in which the Corporation can potentially help with, for instance there was currently no women’s refuge in the Square Mile; whilst recognising that resources would be a factor, it was vital to see this as a situation which required the mobilisation of various different agencies and departments in the City to secure a real step change.

A Member added that it would be beneficial if the Police could work with and leverage the considerable reach and resources of the larger employers in the City as this was rightly a universal concern for all responsible organisations across the Square Mile.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.