Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan consultation

The problem is male violence, not the more neutral 'Violence against women and girls'. This should be named and addressed if we are going to tackle the problem. 

Male violence also harms other males. We need to make London safe for everyone.

Part of tackling male violence against women is to ensure men do not have access to women's spaces, such as refuges, changing rooms, toilets and women only sessions in sports facilities.

Violence against females is not new.  It's been around for decades, if not centuries.  I  doubt if there is a woman or girl in London who has not experienced it at some level.  It is a mistake to think that "the problem" can be tackled.  It is its root cause, misogyny, which needs tackling, and that is not something the Mayor can do on his own.  The same is true of racially-motivated violence.  The MPS itself in institutionally misogynistic and racist, and that is why confidence in them is low.  There are some practical things the mayor can do, such as reducing crowding on public transport so that men cannot covertly assault women, and improving wifi connectivity underground so that people can record racist and misogynistic attacks in real time, but in reality societal changes are needed which are beyond the Mayor's ability to deliver.  The Mayor cannot force change in the MPS, it needs to come within.  I. for one, am not holding my breath, but anything the Mayor can do to encourage the MPS to change would of course be welcome.

Educate young men from pre-teen age, explaining  that girls and women are their equals.   This is not the case in all societies.

Give decent sex-education lessons to this age group -  or even earlier, ensuring knowledge and understanding of both sexes, demystifying sex.     GIve boys lessons on respect, both of girls and women but also of themselves.

I have been the victim of a violent attack in which I was almost murdered by a complete stranger in a public place. I was also terrifyingly stalked by another stranger for over 2.5 years. Due to the incompetence of the police in both cases, my attacker walked free & no doubt has gone on to do worse to other young women (he was already known to the police, yet they suddenly “lost” the immense amount of physical evidence left at the crime scene & CCTV footage of the brutal assault which left me disabled. CCTV doesn’t prevent crime. It doesn’t even help solve crime after it’s been captured on CCTV) & my stalker was only eventually charged after he started threatening the police, too, & they traced the calls back to their own police station! It turned out the stalker’s mother was contracted as a cleaner at the station & she permitted her stalker son to “help” her. He had access to my files & full details. No safety checks done by police. Stalker received a 2 year suspended sentence. I received a lifetime of fear for my life. Police CANNOT be trusted to protect anyone, never mind women & girls - only themselves. 

Women need safe spaces, places where they can escape MVAW and unwanted attention and can find respite.  They should be spaces used exclusively by biological women.  This is necessary when women are vulnerable such as in a state of undress and at risk of voyeurism.  They are necessary for women to feel comfortable when dealing with bodily functions such as menstruation.  It is necessary when women are dealing with the trauma of male violence such as in refuges and rape crisis centres.  They are particularly necessary for women of certain faiths.  This is in accord with our rights under the Equality Act.  Mixed sex changing rooms and toilets are a real problem for women.  I feel so unsafe I do not use them and am effectively banned from certain places. 

From my experience as a defence solicitor, it still appears common practice for the police to give cautions or take no action in cases of MVAWG particularly in domestic abuse situations.  A realisation by men that such behaviour is not tolerated in society and brings heavy sanctions would be an effective educational tool.  This would appear to be particularly necessary amongst certain sectors such as certain religions and ethnic groups.  

Advise men on how to alter their behaviour so they do not inadvertently make women feel unsafe.  Eg, not walking close behind women; cross the road or go past.  If asking for directions on the street, keep a good (covid) space away.  If a woman's being harassed, intervene, even if it's only getting your phone out to take a pic/video of the interaction; calling out, I see you!

1. Women and girls feel unsafe in places where there a lack of proper lighting, surveillance, or community presence, such as certain parks or streets at night.

2. Ensuring safety requires stronger law enforcement, more public awareness campaigns, and better support services for victims.

3. To prevent male violence, education on healthy relationships should be emphasized from a young age, with the involvement of schools, community leaders, and law enforcement.

4. Men and boys can help by challenging harmful behavior and being vocal allies in promoting respect for women and girls.

5. Confidence can be built through programs that address toxic masculinity and educate on respectful behavior.

6. Police can improve trust by prioritizing transparency, sensitivity in handling cases, and providing support to victims.

Where are the men in this “issue” - why do they feature low down on the list - it is violence BY men. The language is important in the way it shapes perceptions and responsibilities  - I would prefer less naming of women and girls as (passive) victims and more emphasis on naming and targeting men as (active) perpetrators. The title  “Violence against women and girls” makes it sound like it’s just happening to them and excludes  the men from the problem!

when I was a teenager and I called the police hysterical because my brother  was threatening to kill me, police would show up and he would only have to say I was his little sister, I was winding him he ain’t even hit me but I’ve got scared and phones the police: he’s sorry he should think I’m just a kid to him but I’m his little sister init. He forgets how young I am I need to learn to stop trying to wind him up if I’m gonna get scared…. He loves me though I’m a good girl but he’s been at work all day he was trying to chill and have a beer and call me over saying sorry and to give him a cuddle

I got told off for wasting police time how I can go around winding my brother up and phoning the police when I got scared. I could be taking them away from a real emergency. 

The same police force that asked me why I didn’t tell anyone he started raping me when I was 8…. 

How they believed me but then ya difficult cause I said nothing at the time, have no physical evidence and it’s my word against his. The cps won’t put it forward they understand it’s distressing but if anything comes to light or another victim comes forward I’ll be told. 

If it goes to court my whole life is called into question and he could be found not guilty if they don’t believe me or I don’t seem like a victim or too much of a victim. Everything I did and didn’t do is going to be held against me and if he does do it again they won’t be able to take him to court again if he’s found not guilty. That its what I don’t want… do I? 

I was told to apply for an injunction but told I had to pay hundreds for it. If your abuser steals all your money and won’t even leave enough for a toilet roll you think an injunction is affordable? 

Why does anyone think that people would say they were abused, be treated disgracefully like we’re the problem not the abusers, we should have spoke out, we should have told someone, we have safe comfortable spaces to do we, we should think about future victims WE SHOULDNT HAVE TO PROVE IT 

Women and girls are not safe from the shocking behaviour of Met officers let alone the general public. The Met should be disbanded and we should have a new police service for London. In addition noone has any confidence in the Mayor as Police and  Crime Commissioner. He was happy to support Cressida Dick when the Met was obviously already in a terrible state with corruption and awful behaviour endemic in the Met. I would never ever vote for Khan again (I voted for him first term) He has proved a useless incompetent mayor who has not held the Met to account.

The Mayor sacked Joan Smith the co chair of the Violence against women board. Absolutely disgraceful https://womansplaceuk.org/2021/08/23/reinstate-joan-smith-london-mayor/. Noone takes the Mayor seriously after that. 

Additionally the awful record of the MPS with regard to women continues in 2025. We have already had the following: Met officer in court over rape: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdjg4l910xzo. Met officers involved in some serious offences including sexists messages https://www.aol.co.uk/met-inspector-whatsapp-chat-sexist-173434243.html and Met officer sacked for sexual assault https://www.aol.co.uk/met-inspector-whatsapp-chat-sexist-173434243.html. This is all within the first 3 weeks of 2025 and follows and unending stream of officers in court and sacked in 2024. 

I believe there’s a crucial distinction to be made between misogyny and actual violence. I would much rather deal with being catcalled than face real danger, like being attacked or raped. Violence isn’t men talking about a woman in a pub—it’s unhinged, often mentally unstable men who pose a real threat. Mental health is a huge issue here. I’ve often seen men standing on the street talking to themselves or shouting at random people. These men need medical help, as a mentally well man is far less likely to commit violence against women.
 

I’d also feel much safer if there were more police officers on the beat. I live in Chelsea and can’t remember the last time I saw a police officer walking up the King’s Road, despite it being a hotspot for phone snatching. A visible police presence would deter crime and make residents feel more secure.

I also feel unsafe in bars and have stopped going out at night because of the number of friends who have been drugged—myself included. A friend and I were drugged at Jaks in Chelsea. Fortunately, I didn’t finish my drink and was able to get us home, but my friend couldn’t walk and was sick for days. If there were more police officers or community support teams patrolling these areas, it would make a huge difference.

Finally, people need to be encouraged to intervene when they see something wrong. I’ve noticed even security guards in shops often do nothing. It’s essential to create a culture where people feel empowered to stand up and protect others when they witness violence or harassment. A collective effort could go a long way toward making London safer for everyone.

I often feel unsafe, even in my own home. I find myself struggling to sleep as I am afraid of if my house is broken into. I don’t live in the safest area and I often experience being shouted at from cars or across the road. I never felt that way when I lived outside of London. My fears may be irrational but it is clear to me that the environment creates feelings of fear, unwelcome and danger. I think the laws should be stricter.. but I also do not know how to stop the problem of cat calling, it is often from older people and there is no easy way to report it as it doesn’t feel like a crime, it just makes me feel unsafe in the area I live and it makes me hate living there. Why should women have to pay so much more just to feel safe in their neighbourhood? 

Sadiq Khan should have his knighthood revoked as violent crime has gone up in particular against women and he has nothing to ensure that people are safe in London - not just women. He has not done much as a Mayor and yes I did vote in the last elections for Mayor. I would have expected him to have more police on the underground for example and on the streets. Yesterday I saw a fare dodger evade ticket inspectors but they were powerless to do anything because if they went after them, they would be accused of harassment. 

It shows how much City Hall is actually trying to listen to the views of Londoners when <1k have completed the survey on Police & Crime.  “Sir” Sadiq doing his best for our great city yet again.  Reaching out and listening? … or doing what he wants?

The issues stem from men's behaviour and attitudes' not from women "feeling unsafe " but from us being unsafe.

I'm 70 and have experienced unwanted sexual approaches, physical intimidation and no-go neighbourhoods all my life. What women haven't?

It's not about men supporting women to stand up against violence, but about men and boys understanding bullying women and girls is the behaviour of pathetic losers.

Glorifying misogyny in social media, in films, videogames, newspapers, adverts or playgrounds is so entrenched that we see it as normal. 

Yes police could have a role in making streets safer at night, but parents, schools and media need to change the armed hero/bully/sexy sadist narrative about men that we all learn as children. How can we do this when so many parents, journalists, game designers and filmmakers enjoy the narrative as it is?