Forest netball stars back Notts Police campaign to tackle violence against women and girls

Nottinghamshire Police’s ongoing ‘Walk in My Shoes’ campaign is inviting women and girls across the county to complete the force’s online survey to identify problem areas where they feel unsafe.

Wing defender Niamh Cooper said: “To come and walk in the shoes of women and empower women to talk about how they feel whenever they're out and about in Nottinghamshire is really important because the louder the voice, the more action can happen.”

The Reds’ star has been sharing her experiences alongside teammates Rhea Dixon and Iona Christian to endorse the force’s campaign and amplify the importance of women having their say.

Iona Christian said: “I’ve been out running in the past and been wolf-whistled at before and that is not a nice feeling.

“Signing up to this survey and making people aware of how you feel in public is really important so we can spread the word and get the message out there.”

Like many women have already expressed during the campaign, the three Forest players shared that they don’t leave home without their phones and often contact friends or relatives to let them know when they are leaving and when they are expected to arrive, as a security measure.

Rhea added: “Being outside exercising at night-time is a massive kind of red flag to a lot of women, unfortunately, and something we probably need to address.

“Some men might not realise what women go through and it is an opportunity to offer them a space to become allies to women and create safe spaces.”

Forest are supporting Nottinghamshire Police’s campaign to help tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), which is one of the force’s key strategic objectives.

Nottinghamshire Police wants to hear from as many women and girls as possible across the city and county about the areas they avoid and why and how they can be made safer.

The force will then work with partner organisations, including councils, to assess how areas can be improved, where possible. This could include additional patrols, better lighting, or CCTV coverage.

Niamh said: “Talking about women’s safety is important because ultimately us as women want to feel safe, and we’re entitled to feel safe.

“If we can empower women to talk about it a little bit more we might be able to figure out exactly where it is, what aspects of the county, at what times of the day people are made to feel unsafe and uncomfortable and put in measures to stop that.”

Superintendent Heather Maelor, one of the leads for tackling VAWG at Nottinghamshire Police’s Prevention Hub, said: “We receive calls from women and girls who are subjected to unwanted behaviour and abuse from men every day.

“To put a stop to this in Nottinghamshire, we want to hear what women and girls from across our city and county have experienced as part of our Walk in My Shoes campaign.

“We want to know the areas they feel the most unsafe so, where possible, we can come up with solutions collectively with our partners to make real change.

“VAWG is a national threat and we want to ensure that our residents and visitors feel as safe as possible when they are walking around Nottinghamshire.

“So please, complete our survey, tell us your views, and we will act where we can, to ensure you feel safer.”