BARNSLEY Council has vowed to keep women and girls safe in the town centre and has supplied training to pub and bar owners across the borough in how to support those in need.
Councillors will meet on Wednesday to discuss the schemes which take place on a night during the town centre.
It’s hoped they will make women feel safe coming into Barnsley - though the schemes will also support men who are in need.
The latest Pubwatch meeting - which brings together business owners in the town - saw a presentation from community safety officers who provided refresher training for two schemes.
Ask for Angela is a campaign that started in 2016 that is used by bars and other venues to keep people safe from sexual assault by using a codeword to identify when they are in danger or are in an uncomfortable situation.
When an establishment uses this, a person who believes themselves to be in danger can ask for Angela, a fictitious member of the staff.
The staff will then help the person get home discreetly and safely by either escorting them to a different room, calling them a taxi and escorting them to it, or by asking the other party member to leave the establishment.
It also included training for South Yorkshire Police’s ‘WalkSafe’ app.
The report states: ” The training covered the importance of businesses and employees being aware of the increased risk of violence against women and girls in the night-time economy and the measures implemented by Barnsley Council to try and improve the safety of women and girls and advice and information on how to respond to an individual when they Ask for Angela.
“In addition to providing Ask for Angela within Barnsley, South Yorkshire Police have launched a new safety app across South Yorkshire named ‘WalkSafe’.
“WalkSafe is a personal safety app which provides live locations of areas of safety and specified individuals.
“The app also has features which allow users to share their live location with friends should they be walking home alone or have lost friends on a night out.”
It follows the launch of the council’s Safe Spaces scheme this year, which offers women somewhere to go should they feel in danger while on a night out.
It is located at the top of Cheapside, towards the bottom of Peel Square, between 9pm and 3am.
It will be there tonight and tomorrow, and then on December 20, 21, 27, 28 and 31.
The report added: “The main purpose of the Safe Spaces scheme is to improve the safety of women and girls within the evening and nighttime economy.
“There is no criteria for women to access the space, any one is welcome.
“Tea, coffee, flip flops, a space to charge their phones or wait for a taxi will be provided as part of this facility.
“Males will not be turned away who approach the service if they are in need however, women will always take priority.
“There will be a female security guard present and two staff members from the community safety team - one will always be a woman so a minimum of two females present at any time.”
