The Women’s Night-time Safety Charter incorporates seven pledges that businesses must indicate their commitment to. Here you will find information and suggestions for how your business can achieve each of the seven pledges.
Actively promoting women’s safety is at the heart of the charter. There are a number of schemes and initiatives that help raise awareness of women's safety and provide practical steps to increase women’s safety, for example, 'Ask for Angela'.
People who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’. This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. The assistance given might be:
- Escorting them to a safe place, for example a secure office or a supervised safe area
- Reuniting them with a friend in a safe area
- Arranging a taxi for them and making sure they leave the premises safely
- Informing venue security and, or the police
- Removing the perpetrator from the venue
Watch this staff training video for helpful advice on how to meet the commitments in the Bury Women's Night-time Safety Charter.
Think about how your premises are arranged and the area around them. Make sure that all security cameras and lights are working properly. If your business oversees its own spaces, always plan them with health and safety in mind. To achieve this, you should consider the following.
- Arrange the layout of your premises in a way that allows customers to move around easily and leave safely if they feel uncomfortable.
- Make sure that there is enough lighting on the paths, the right amount of CCTV is in place, and that all relevant staff members know who is responsible for using, maintaining, and sharing this data.
- Set up a designated 'quiet' area, for example, a staff room or a secure back office, where staff or customers can receive medical assistance or recover from an incident.
- Make sure you have enough staff to keep an eye on what's happening in your premises, regularly inspect toilets and cloakroom areas, and identify any areas where women might be at risk.
It is recommended that you appoint a Champion for women’s safety within your business who can help and guide staff to increase awareness of women’s safety issues.
The Champion could be a Manager/Designated Premises Supervisor/Premises Licence Holder, the person responsible for licensing, or a member of staff within your business.
The Champion will attend safety training, liaise with other nominated champions, and be confident in interacting with Greater Manchester Police, Bury Council, and other organisations to improve women’s safety across Bury.
Your business will need to decide which member of staff best fits the role of the Champion. Passion is more important than experience here. Many businesses will hopefully choose a member of staff with the ability to inspire and assist all staff to have honest conversations about the important issues around women’s safety.
Too often, sexual harassment and assault is not spoken about due to fear of not being believed or seen to be a private matter. This charter aims to let staff and customers know that these matters are taken seriously. Committing to the charter helps to create an environment where everyone feels confident to report incidents and perpetrators will know that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.
Make sure all of your team members are aware of who your Champion is, so that they can go to them for advice and resources on women’s safety.
The Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor must communicate to all staff and customers that your organisation takes women’s safety seriously and that you encourage people to come forward to report incidents
The simple act of developing, distributing, and displaying a poster or notice about your organisation’s values in relation to women’s safety and the consequences for unacceptable behaviour can have a hugely positive impact.
Communication can take many forms from physical notices to digital and social messaging.
Some do's and don’ts for successful women’s safety messaging
Do's:
- Use positive language, for example “We aim to create a welcome space for all our customers”
- Focus on the consequences of unacceptable behaviour, for example “the perpetrator(s) will be asked to leave”
- Include why this is not okay, for example “No one should feel unsafe whilst they are present in your premises”
- Summarise the options you’re able to offer for reporting (for example, text, email, app)
Don’ts:
- Don't use graphic images that can be off-putting
- Don't use sensational language or humour when describing incidents
- Don't use scaremongering or descriptions of victims or perpetrators
- Don't use any ‘victim-blaming’ language, for example, telling people to stay with their friends and stay alert to their surroundings. While this might seem helpful and well-intentioned, women who are targeted should not have to change their behaviour when it is perpetrators who can make a choice not to cause alarm or distress.
The Champion and management in your business must ensure all staff believe and support an individual who comes forward to report something that makes them feel uncomfortable.
The Champion and, or an appropriate member of staff will attend training provided in partnership with Bury Council, Greater Manchester Police, Pubwatch (where appropriate) and other organisations to understand issues around women’s safety in particular reference to the night-time economy.
This training will be shared with staff within your business alongside timely record keeping in line with your current employment, health and safety and licence policies.
Ensure that all staff within your business receive appropriate training, are confident to respond and, or intervene in a report of sexual harassment or assault and support a woman in distress – this can be through the joint WhatsApp group, via the radio system or directly to a Greater Manchester Police officer in person.
The Champion will be trained to work with Greater Manchester Police on reporting and follow up of incident reporting on their premises. This will be both at the time of the incident and cooperation in the provision of verbal and written statements, disclosure of CCTV
Monthly training and awareness sessions are offered in relation to women's safety. These sessions will allow representatives from licensed premises to get an overview of the latest campaigns and resources, including the White Ribbon Campaign and community safety guidance. If there are any particular topics you’d like to see covered as part of this, or have any questions in the meantime please email womenssafety@bury.gov.uk
These sessions will also allow a consideration of whether there are any changes that can, or need to be implemented with your business which could prevent or discourage future incidents.
The Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor must keep a written record of all staff training relating to this charter using the template form provided on this web page. This can be used to record:
- Introductory training or awareness training relating to women’s safety
- Evidence that each member of staff has watched, and can access training videos or materials
- Evidence of all staff annual refresher training relating to women’s safety
- Any other additional internal or external training relating to women’s safety
The premises licence holder or designated premises supervisor must ensure that information is displayed throughout the premises to promote your commitment to women’s safety and that all reports of unacceptable behaviour will be recorded and dealt with.
Consider the placement of such information. You should display these posters in all public areas including the toilets and ensure that if damaged, defaced or removed, posters are replaced and remain on walls in clear sight.
Consider keeping a stock of posters to enable your staff to replace as necessary.
The following factors are important to consider when an issue has been raised in order to be supportive to the individual.
- Demonstrate belief, for example “thank you for sharing what happened”
- Validate their experience, for example “that is not ok”
- Explain their options and what you can do to help
- Check that you’ve understood what you’ve been told
- Ask about any physical injuries or urgent needs
The Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor must ensure they report any incidents within your premises. You must use the reporting form to assist you in recording all incidents and ensure all completed forms are stored securely.
The Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor must review all reported incidents, speak with any staff who may have witnessed as reported incident and ensure the women’s safety champion is involved in the incident evaluation.
Consider whether any changes need to be implemented within your business which could prevent or discourage similar incidents if necessary.
Many incidents of abuse or violence towards women are perpetrated by men known to them – relatives, partners or ex partners, work colleagues or friends.
- Are you aware of a regular customer who displays inappropriate behaviour?
- Are you aware of anyone who should be barred from your premises or by Pubwatch (where appropriate) or Greater Manchester Police for isolated or persistent incidents of violent or abusive behaviour towards your patrons?
If so, you must take the necessary action which may include partner agencies to deal with the issue.
It is through working in partnership that we will be able to make the most difference. This involves working with other premises to signify that Bury is a borough that is united in tackling violence against women; with public services to support premises in the latest training to support individuals to report incidents, and with local organisations to help keep women safe within our local premises and surrounds.
Bury Council and GMP Bury will assist with ensuring updated training, advice on record keeping, and actions on women’s safety are regularly discussed and reviewed and specific training opportunities are communicated directly to all licence holders in Bury.
The monthly training and awareness sessions will allow the sharing of insight of approaches and any key learning from incidents that have taken place. If you want to share learning or particular questions or concerns these can be raised to womenssafety@bury.gov.uk and our officers will work with the premise and partners to address.
The Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor must ensure that all records relating to this charter including incidents log and record(s) of staff training must be available to a police officer and, or authorised officer of the Licensing Authority on request. You may keep digital training and incident records, but these must be easily accessible and available by management, at all times, in the absence of the Premises Licence Holder or Designated Premises Supervisor.