Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report introduces Manchester’s approach for the safety of women and girls in the city.   

The Committee received a report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) which introduced Manchester’s approach for the safety of women and girls in the city.

The main points and themes within the report included:

• The Greater Manchester response;
• Manchester’s approach;
• White Ribbon Accreditation; and
• Governance.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were:

• That some of this work should focus on older women and the issues they face;
• To welcome the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter and could this be incorporated into Licensing Policy;
• The need to tackle violence against trans women; and
• Attacks on new female students in September in wards such Fallowfield and Withington.

Spencer Davies, Head of Advice and Response at the University of Manchester outlined how the University was working with partners to respond to the issues relating to the Safety of Women and Girls.  He highlighted the recently established Sexual Violence Action Network for students, and improved information-sharing between universities to identify patterns and trends and provide a targeted response.  He outlined the role of the University’s Advice and Response Team, which included supporting female students in relation to domestic abuse and sexual assault and other violence.

The Lead Member for Women welcomed that the Council had been awarded White Ribbon Accreditation and advised that the Council should encourage other organisations to do the same.  She welcomed the progress in addressing the spiking of drinks.  She advised that there should be a focus on prevention, including educating men and boys.

The Community Safety Lead confirmed that colleagues from Education were part of the steering group and that work in schools would form part of this work.  She advised that there were a lot of crosscutting themes within this work.  She reported that the Domestic Violence and Abuse Strategy had included a focus on older women and that work was taking place to address the gap in provision in relation to this group.  She assured Members that older women not been forgotten as part of the work on the Safety of Women and Girls and that she would ensure that this was reflected in the Equality Impact Assessment and the Reference Group.  She confirmed that her team were working with Licensing colleagues in relation to the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter and standards for licensed premises.  She acknowledged the Member’s point about trans women and that the safety of trans women needed to be part of this work.  In response to a Member’s question about the women’s groups involved in this work, she stated that she would welcome Members’ suggestions of any other groups who could be involved.  She stated that there was a comprehensive plan in place for the return of students in September. 

In response to a Member’s suggestion that a subgroup be established with female Members only to look at the different areas and issues within this work, the Chair advised that she would discuss this proposal with the Deputy Leader and then provide an update to the Committee.

The Chair welcomed that the Council had been awarded White Ribbon Accreditation and recommended that all male Councillors undertake the White Ribbon training.

Decision

To recommend that all male Councillors undertake the White Ribbon training.