Women's safety

We want Camden to be a safe, strong and equal place for everyone who lives, works and studies here. 

All women in Camden have the right to feel safe. Sadly, though, we know there are too many women who don’t feel comfortable when living, working or travelling in Camden, and too many women who have been victims of violence, assault, harassment or inappropriate behaviour. 

In Camden we have zero tolerance for this behaviour and we are working to understand the experiences of all women and girls in Camden and take the right steps to ensure they feel safe in the borough. 

You can find out about some of our work and how to get involved across these pages. You may also be interested in other related work:

Tackling domestic violence and abuse

One in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or you are worried about a friend or relative’s relationship, please know you are not alone and there is support available. 

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, we are here for you and there is support available.

Please contact Camden Safety Net in confidence on 020 7974 2526 or visit the relevant pages on our website. In an emergency always call 999.

Camden Women's Forum

Camden Women’s Forum is working for gender equality in Camden, and brings together a range of experts and women and girls from across Camden to discuss the issue and barriers that women and girls face. The forum is working directly with women and girls to hear their concerns and experiences, and partnering with employers and businesses, the voluntary sector and service providers to develop practical solutions.

The forum’s latest inquiry focuses on preventing and tackling domestic violence and abuse in Camden. Read more at our Women’s Forum pages.

Reporting hate incidents or hate crimes

If you witness harmful, hateful behaviour in our borough, or experience it yourself, there is help available.

If you experience or see any incident that someone thinks is racist, homophobic, transphobic or due to a person’s religion, belief, gender identity or disability, it may be a hate crime. 

To find out how to recognise hate crime, how to report it, and where to get support, please visit our hate crime pages.

Women's walkabouts

We have held two public safety walkabouts with women and girls in Camden. The purpose of the walkabouts is for Council, Police and community partners to hear women’s first-hand experiences of public safety in the borough, and about how safe or unsafe they feel in public spaces. They will also help to inform ways that Community Safety and Public Protection and partners can hold women’s public safety in mind when considering patrolling and casework interventions.

These are the first of a number of future women’s public safety walkabouts to be held in different parts of the borough. If you are interested in joining a future walkabout or learning more, please email [email protected]

In Camden we do not tolerate misogyny. Misogyny is prejudice against women that can take many forms, including assault and physical violence towards women, and also less violent but inappropriate behaviour – like catcalling, wolf-whistling or ‘dressing room banter’.

It is not right that women are objectified, targeted and assaulted by men, and it’s up to all of us to call out that behaviour when we see it. Even if it may seem harmless on the surface, please remember it can make women feel uncomfortable and unsafe, and it’s not okay.

Misogyny as a hate crime

We are calling on the Government to recognise misogyny as a hate crime for a number of reasons:

• to send a strong message that misogynistic behaviour is not, and never will be acceptable
• to help to tackle issues of underreporting, as it will reassure women that they will get the right support from authorities
• to give Police and judges more powers when sentencing to ensure those who harass or assault women are given the proper punishment
• to give the Police the ability to get a clearer picture of what this sort of crime looks like in this country, and allow them to better respond to this behaviour
• to help give us a better understanding of intersectional hate crime, how this might affect a person’s vulnerability to hate crime and the subsequent actions that need to be taken.

Please keep an eye on these pages for ways to get involved and add your voice and experiences to our work.

If you have experienced harassment or assault in Camden, you are not alone and we are here to support you.

In an emergency always call the police on 999, or report a non-emergency incident to the police on 101.

If the incident was on public transport you can contact the British Transport police by calling 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016.

You can report anti-social behaviour in parks and on the streets to the Council’s team by emailing [email protected] or calling them on 020 7974 2915.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or you are worried about a friend or relative’s relationship, please know you are not alone and there is support available. If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, we are here for you and there is support available. Please contact Camden Safety Net in confidence on 020 7974 2526 or visit the relevant pages on our website. In an emergency always call 999.

If you've been affected by crime you can also get in touch with Victim Support.

There are a number of local women's groups that may also be able to support you, such as West Hampstead Women's Centre and Hopscotch Asian Women's Centre.

Camden launched an exciting new safe space initiative for anyone in Camden who needs assistance, support or just someone to talk to when on a night out. 

The Camden Safety Hub is an inclusive safe space, managed by a team of volunteers who are on hand to provide support for people who have found themselves in a vulnerable state or uncomfortable situation when out on a Friday or Saturday night. This includes women and girls who often don’t feel safe or have experienced harassment or inappropriate behaviour when out and about on our streets and in our public spaces. 

Address

The Camden Safety Hub 
Labtech Offices
1-7 Dockray Place
London 
NW1 8QH

Opening Hours

Friday and Saturday, 9pm to 2.30am

Contact

Phone: 07946578608

Only available during opening hours.

What we provide

The Hub volunteers will work with our licensed premises as well as carrying out street engagement in the area. The Hub offers phone charging facilities, water, snacks and a place to rest before travelling home. Volunteers will be on hand to provide a listening ear for those who need someone to talk, and direct them to any additional services they might need as well as provide educational resources to promote a safe and fun night out. 

In December 2023, Camden Council in partnership with the police launched a new Safety Hub bus to provide a safe space for anyone who needs help or support during a night out. Open on Saturday nights from 9pm to 2.30am, the bus is stationed on Parkway in Camden Town with trained staff on board to assist people who might find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, vulnerable state or needing some extra support during a night out.

Your feedback

We are keen to hear your feedback on any support you may have received from these services or officers and how we can improve.

This anonymous survey takes less than 3 minutes to complete and will help Camden's Community Safety Team to continue to improve safety for everyone, particularly women and girls.

Camden Safety Hub - Feedback Form

Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training is a package which aims to increase the skills, knowledge and confidence of those working in licensed premises focusing on identifying vulnerability and making appropriate interventions.

During training, learners will:

• learn the history of WAVE and Ask for Angela 
• understand the definition of vulnerability
• explore what makes people vulnerable
• identify factors that assist you to recognise vulnerability
• explore where interventions can be made to reduce vulnerability
• identify appropriate interventions to assist in reducing harm
• recognise and promote the Ask for Angela Campaign.

Who should attend?

This course is designed for anyone working in a customer facing role, including security teams.

Please use the link below to sign up to take part in Camden Council’s training offer delivered by the Safer Business Network
•    E-learning (pre-recorded) training for April
•    Virtual (live online session) 17 May 2024

Safe Havens are a way for you to easily get support from local businesses. They provide a safe space for women, to help support them in moments of vulnerability or simply support them on their onward journey.

Safe Havens can help by:

•   providing a friendly face and reassurance
•   calling the police or family or friends
•   simply giving you directions or public transport information

Using your space as a Safe Haven

If you are interested in becoming a Safe Haven, a temporary place of refuge for people who might need help with their journey home, please complete the Safe Haven Expression of Interest form. 

The basic criteria for providing a Safe Haven includes:

•    access to water (could be bottled), electricity, wi-fi or a landline telephone
•    charging point for mobile phones with an extension lead if required
•    a chair/seat
•    access to a toilet if required
•    safe haven logo displayed in a window/door
•    trained staff with a list of support network contact details and relevant public liability insurance. 

In addition, at least one of the following is needed:

•    body Cameras are to be worn by staff
•    staff to have DBS checks completed
•    two members of staff must be present when an individual is in the Safe Haven 
•    the safe haven area must be covered by working CCTV

Training to staff will be offered for free to enable the venue employees to feel confident in dealing with members of the public, bearing in mind that we cannot provide specialist support.