Lady Mayor joins ‘Walk and Talk’ to encourage women to speak with police about safety

The Lady Mayor of the City of London has taken part in a ‘Walk and Talk’ with the City of London Police and is encouraging women to do the same.

Lady Mayor Dame Susan Langley was accompanied by Police Community Support Officer Rosamund Sweet MBE, of the Neighbourhood Policing Team, to learn more about the Walk and Talk initiative and the force’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.

The Walk and Talk is open to women who live or work in the City. It’s an opportunity for women to highlight their experiences, discuss areas in the City where they might feel vulnerable and talk about what can be done to alleviate their concerns.

This could be pointing out issues to officers, such as a street they don’t feel safe walking down at night, poor lighting along certain roads, or maybe asking for security cameras to be installed in certain areas.

Chief Superintendent Helen Isaac, City of London Police, said:

“We’re very grateful to the Lady Mayor for attending a Walk and Talk and speaking with our officers about women’s safety.

“We know that the City of London is a safe place, but we’re keen to have conversations about concerns women have and understand what we can do to build trust and confidence in the police.

“We’d like to see more women come forward to take part in this important initiative and from the information they provide we can liaise with our City of London partners to assess these concerns and where possible, address and fix them.”

Lady Mayor of the City of London, Dame Susan Langley, said:

“The City is a fantastic place to live and work but I also want it to be one of the safest for women.

"The Walk and Talk is a simple but effective way for women to share how they feel about safety in the City and to have open, honest conversations with local officers. I’d encourage women who live or work here to take part – your voice matters, and these conversations can make a real difference.”

The City of London Police is reinforcing its commitment to tackling violence, abuse and intimidation against women and girls, with the introduction of the City Safe Bus, in partnership with the Eastern City and Aldgate Connect Business Improvement Districts.

The bus, situated outside Liverpool Street Station, operates on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, where officers and a medic will be on hand to provide support for vulnerable individuals during the night-time economy, as well as offering public reassurance, safeguarding and welfare support.

Earlier this year, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) carried out the Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection.

The inspectorate recognised how well the force supports rape victims, achieving positive outcome rates for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) offences in 24/25, with the City of London Police achieving a 15.6 per cent outcome rate, more than double the national average of six per cent.