The Sheffield Women and Girls Night-Time Safety Charter has called venues and businesses across Sheffield to challenge gender based violence.

The charter, developed by Sheffield City Council, outlined seven commitments consisting of practical actions to improve safety for women and girls in public spaces around the city. 

Women’s charities, including Together Women and Sheffield Women’s Aid, have worked to provide support and enforce proactive change for women who have experienced abuse and violence.

Amanda Barraclough, 63, the Dean of the Women’s Ministry at The Diocese of Sheffield, from Sprotbrough said: “I am there as a supportive presence when women encounter sexism or are dismissed purely on the grounds of gender.

“I want to benefit the young women who follow me, I hope they will have less battles over their gender than my generation have had,” she said.

Ms Barraclough has organised gatherings for women to challenge these issues and suggest policy changes to benefit women and girls.

She said: “Though it’s often a long haul with many setbacks, three steps forward, two back, it’s worth it when I see signs that things are making progress.”

The council has encouraged organisations to sign up to the charter to show their commitment and support the councils’ plan of addressing violence towards women and girls.

“There needs to be a stronger culture of calling out unacceptable behaviour, and being confident to take action to diffuse a situation where a woman is being harassed publicly,” said Ms Barraclough.

In the Domestic and Sexual Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls annual report by the Sheffield Domestic Abuse Coordination Team, 7,702 females were a victim of sexual assault accross 2022 and 2023.

Ms Barraclough said: “Women need to be given the confidence and platform to speak out. Too often they are silenced or shamed into keeping quiet when facing situations where they feel unsafe.”

“The personal scars of doing so can leave lasting trauma and an erosion of self-worth and self-confidence,” she said.

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One of the most prevalent aspects of violence towards women addressed by the charter is spiking.

A woman who wishes to remain anonymous, was a victim of an overlooked form of spiking, whereby she was repeatedly spiked by a partner in her own home.

She said: “I very rarely go out anywhere. It’s impacted my job, it’s impacted my relationship with my family, it’s impacted everything because you see the world as evil, you can’t trust anybody.

“I think it’s so important that one day I’ll be able to share this story so that women are made to know that it is possible to recover.”

Alongside the charter, women’s organisations across Sheffield are encouraging greater action to be taken by businesses with platforms to reinforce the need to protect women and girls in all spaces.

To find out more about the Sheffield Women and Girls Night-Time Safety Charter visit Sheffield Women & Girls Night Time Charter.