Edition 7 February 2024
This newsletter is produced by Exeter’s Community Safety Partnership as part of the Government’s Safer Streets project. Find out more and follow us on Twitter - SaferExeter • • Facebook - SaferCentralExeter • LinkedIn - safer-exeter • Instagram - saferexeter
Walk and Talk offer from police
First to react: Niki Rojka, manager at Comptoir Libanais intervened to help a distressed women be safe
Safe haven COMPTOIR Libanais is one of 165 venues that signed up to Exeter’s Safety of Women at Night Charter last year. The Charter was developed as part of the city’s commitment to making the city a safe place, where women feel confident and safe at night. It means there is a network of pubs, restaurants, bars, night clubs, hotels, taxi firms, cinemas, gyms, supermarkets and shops that have all committed to a city-wide approach to reducing violence against women and girls and keeping them safe at night. Of course, we all hope we never have to deal with a distressing incident where a person is being harassed or attacked. But a recent incident at the
Guildhall’s Comptoir Libanais is a perfect example of how important it can be to provide such a safe haven. Manger Niki Rojko was first to react when tempers flared between two customers at the Lebanese restaurant. “The couple had come in to celebrate his birthday. We seated the at a table and they started to eat,” said Niki. “They had some drinks but towards the end of the meal they started to have an argument. It got quite aggressive, there were glasses breaking, and the man ended up leaving and taking the lady’s belongings so she was stranded without a phone, without her wallet, without anything.” Turn to page 2.
EXETER Police are asking women and girls to show them city areas where they don’t feel safe in a new scheme called Walk and Talk. The police message is - ‘if there’s somewhere you don’t feel safe, take us there and we’ll walk and talk about it.’ Women aged 18 or over, living or working in any the city, can Walk and Talk with a female officer to share thoughts on women’s safety, and help bring positive change. Concerns If you have concerns about a place where you live or work, contact the police at walkandtalk@devonan dcornwall.pnn.police.uk A female police officer will arrange to meet you at the location you have concerns about, then walk with you to hear more about it. The officer will listen to you and take note of your concerns so that, together with community partners, we can start tackling some of the issues. *IMPORTANT - please do not use the walk and talk email address to report crime.