Harrow Council outlines steps to improve women’s safety

Cllr Peymana Assad (Lab, Roxeth), who is responsible for crime, community cohesion, and enforcement at Harrow Council, explained clear steps have been taken to make women and girls in the borough feel safer.

It comes following a question from Cllr Kanti Rabadia (Con, Kenton West) at a council cabinet meeting on Thursday (June 17) where he sought reassurance following the tragic death of Sarah Everard in March.

“The murder of Sarah Everard was shocking for all Londoners, as were the murders of Bibaa [Henry] and Nicole [Smallman] across the border in Brent,” Cllr Assad said.

“As a young woman, it was incredibly concerning that the person arrested and charged with Sarah’s murder was a serving police officer.

“While Harrow is one of the safest boroughs in London, we take the safety of women and girls on our streets very seriously.”

She explained the borough’s streetlights have been upgraded to “the latest LED technology to improve [their] quality and reliability”.

The council has also been working on an initiative with the police, schools, and local businesses where those feeling vulnerable can enter a shop with a ‘safe place’ sticker and wait for the police to be called.

Cllr Assad said the council’s CCTV system has undergone improvements while she has met with the borough commander and women’s and girls’ organisations about how it can make women’s safety a “priority” and take part in campaigns to end violence against women.

The council has previously noted the need to “recognise the scale” of the issues faced by women in the UK.

Following the deaths of Ms Everard, Ms Henry, and Ms Smallman, Cllr Graham Henson (Lab, Roxeth), leader of Harrow Council, said: “The outpouring of grief and solidarity highlights women’s collective experience and the need for the narrative around women’s safety to change.

“We can all contribute toward changing attitudes to end violence against women and girls.”