In Camden we call it out

We want Camden to be a safe place for everyone, but sadly, we know too many women and girls don’t feel safe when they’re out and about on our streets. 

Women and girls should be able to walk our streets without fear or intimidation and shouldn’t have to change their behaviour to feel safe. That’s why our campaign ‘In Camden we call it out’ is a rallying call for everyone to safely challenge and intervene when they witness sexual harassment and any type of inappropriate behaviour. By working together, we can all help make Camden safe for women and girls. 

The campaign has been informed by the experiences of local women. It powerfully highlights the actions women and girls take to keep safe. It also builds awareness of the types of behaviours that are unacceptable and a criminal offence, detailing how to report it if you see it or it happens to you. It encompasses a wide range of activities which will be delivered across the Council and in partnership with the Police, schools, community groups and businesses. 

We’ve developed our campaign by speaking to a diverse group of Camden residents, as well as Camden Voices Against Abuse, a survivors group in Camden, and domestic violence organisations Solace and Hopscotch. 

‘In Camden we call it out’ builds on a range of initiatives we have implemented to help improve women’s safety. We have increased patrols alongside the Police in hotspot areas. To date, almost 100 high visibility patrols in Camden have taken place since April 2023, aimed at tackling inappropriate behaviour.  

We’ve also improved street lighting and installed CCTV and we’re working with businesses to promote the ‘Ask for Angela’ initiative, a scheme which allows people to get help discreetly by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’.  

Last year, we launched a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Board, which brings together key partners across the borough to improve the experience and support to survivors from across our health, education, police and community partners as well as wider council services.  The Board will continue to ensure that Violence Against Women and Girls is prioritised in Camden.