Oct 25 • Jo Cox-Brown

Our Commitment to the Safety of Women at Night

Violence against women is not new. 

Just days ago, it was reported in the Guardian that 81 women have lost their lives to femicide in just 28 weeks. Though not all these women were killed during the hours of darkness, the cases of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa show us a harrowing reality about women’s safety at night. Violence against women does not discriminate based on class, sexuality, age, or ethnicity, however often the way we view these incidents, and the victims do.

We believe all women should feel safe at night.

The responsibility should not lie solely with women to keep themselves ‘safe’ from the violence of men. Men need to take responsibility for not raping, groping, attacking or stalking women. Men need to challenge their peers when they see or hear inappropriate behaviour from fellow men. In a 2021 study from the European Social Survey, data shows that 32% of UK women surveyed said they don’t feel safe when walking alone at night, one of the highest percentages from the 29 European countries surveyed. Our female team all stated that they never go out at night before planning a safe route home at the end of the night. This disturbs us and motivates us to want to do better. We must do better.

The fall of darkness is an inevitability. Something we can rely on. Each day, the bright hours of daylight begin to dim, and the city transforms into the night. Though the hours on the clock may have changed, the opportunities for activity and enjoyment should not. Night time economies all over the world endeavour to create vibrant and inclusive spaces for everyone, regardless of their needs. If you want to dance into the early hours, you should be able to dance. If you want to see a show with friends, you should see that show with your friends. If you are a worker, you should be able to access transport links and amenities as easily as you would during the day. The night should be a safe and vibrant place for everyone at night, but unfortunately, as recent devastating events have shown, for some it simply isn’t.

Physical violence and femicide is not the only concern for women at night. In 2018, occurrences of drink spiking in the UK had increased by 108% in just three years. Though the spiking of drinks does not exclusively happen to women, they make up 72% of all victims. 10% of this figure consisted of women aged 18 and under.

The prevalence of street harassment and catcalling has also increased. Over 10,000 people shared that they had been harassed in the street with the Instagram page Catcalls of London, and it is estimated by Plan International that 2 in 3 women have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces. Further to this, the coronavirus pandemic and the various lockdowns that ensured added another layer to the experience of Women. Having restricted access to public space, emptier streets, fewer bystanders and no access to dedicated safe spaces, the fear of being harassed and experiencing unwanted sexual attention only increased.

The night belongs to everyone

Darkness is inevitable. Each day, the sun sets, and cities transition into the night. But while the clock changes, our opportunities for activity, work, and enjoyment should not.
If you want to dance into the early hours, you should feel safe to dance.
If you want to see a show with friends, you should feel safe to go.
If you are working, you should have the same access to transport and amenities as you would during the day
The night should be a safe, vibrant, and inclusive space for all. Yet, devastatingly, for too many women, it still is not.

Across the UK, inspiring initiatives are taking shape:
  • London Night Czar & National Pubwatch – Women’s Night Safety Charter
  • UK Government – Safety of Women at Night Fund Reclaim the Night – national demonstrations
  • Bright Futures (Newcastle) – Women’s Street Watch patrols

These efforts show what is possible when communities and institutions commit to change

Our Commitment:

At NTES, we are dedicated to improving women’s safety at night and driving systemic change across the nighttime economy.

Our work includes:

  • Women’s Safety Charter – Every night-time strategy we develop includes a women’s safety charter, encouraging every town and city to adopt their own.
  • Night-Time Audits – Women’s safety is a core element, with clear, tailored recommendations for improvement.
  • Surveys & Focus Groups – We ask women how safe they feel, then work with communities to act on the findings.
  • Training & Services – Expanded vulnerability management training, with comprehensive modules on women’s safety and anti-drink spiking.
  • Police Training – The UK’s first dedicated night-time economy police training programme, piloted with 1,000 Wiltshire officers, now rolling out nationally.
  • Sector Support – Helping hospitality businesses develop policies, training, and innovative solutions that prioritise women’s safety.
  • Funding & Advocacy – Reduced grant-writing fees for women’s safety projects; 10% of profits donated annually to charity, with 25% dedicated to women’s safety initiatives this year.
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Final thoughts

We will not stop there. We challenge ourselves to keep innovating, expanding, and addressing vulnerabilities across different user groups and contexts. Women’s safety at night is not an optional add-on—it is a fundamental responsibility.