Two Labour politicians pledged to make Brighton and Hove a safer place when they announced their party’s “safeguarding contract” yesterday (Tuesday 25 November).
Purna Sen, who is standing for Parliament in Brighton Pavilion, and Councillor Emma Daniel, who aims to hold her Hanover and Elm Grove seat on Brighton and Hove City Council, joined forces to make the announcement.
Purna Sen said: “Today we are observing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
“Violence that is based on gender and sex is the most dangerous form of inequality that women and girls experience worldwide.
“We recognise that all people can be victims of violence. We are pledging to make Brighton and Hove safe for all by pledging to work together with groups in the city that prevent, support and advocate for those at risk.
“We want to build a culture of belief in victims and survivors.
“We will support community-led efforts to eradicate all forms of violence including female genital mutilation, forced marriage and ‘honour’ based crimes.”
Councillor Daniel, the safeguarding spokesman for the Labour group on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “We want to make Brighton and Hove a safer place for all and want our residents to be safer both at home and on the streets.
“We are making a pledge to the city today to work to eliminate all forms of violence against women, to increase the safety of children, to safeguard against child sexual exploitation, to ensure that Brighton and Hove is a safe place for all to live in and to make cleaner streets a priority.
“At a time when local government budgets are facing severe cuts, it is important to emphasise that victims of violence and crime will not be neglected and will not become second-class citizens.
“We are pledging zero tolerance for hate crimes against members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans), BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) and faith communities who have the right to live free from the fear of crime.
“We will also establish a cyber-safety project and work closely with the police for Brighton and Hove to tackle the rising threat of cyber-crime, which includes stalking, fraud and theft online.
“One in six people in the UK have been victims of cyber-crime and it is important that we get ahead of the game and tackle the problem now.
“It is also vital that we work to reduce the levels of rough sleeping in the city and to tackle anti-social behaviour from the street community and towards the street community.”
The pair made the announcement on White Ribbon Day – The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – at the Dialogue Centre in Brighton.
