Tunbridge Wells MP Mike Martin on the launch of safe havens in town

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Transcript

00:00We've recognised for a long time in Tunbridge Wells, as everywhere around the country,

00:05that women and girls feel less safe than men do, particularly at quiet times or at night time.

00:12And Safe Havens is this fantastic initiative which local businesses can get involved in

00:17where they effectively offer themselves up somewhere as a safe haven.

00:22And if you're walking home at night and you feel less safe, you can pop in, charge your phone,

00:27get some advice, and it just offers you a way to break your journey at night.

00:32I don't think whether you're in an affluent part of the world or a less affluent part of the world,

00:37that affects how women and girls feel about, for example, walking home at night or through a quiet part of town.

00:45This is a problem that we have across the country and around the world.

00:50But we expect the take-up to be good in Tunbridge Wells because we've actually got a really great community in town.

00:56We've got a really good business network. We've got a lot of great businesses.

01:00And so we do expect people to respond to the call and offer themselves up to be Safe Havens

01:06and be part of this network.