The tragic murder of Sarah Everard resonated with so many. Women across South London recognised the vulnerability Sarah faced as she walked home alone, recognising the fear she no doubt felt as something all too familiar. In fact, according to the ONS, just under half of all women feel unsafe while walking alone in busy public places at night.

Rather soberingly, around 32% of women and 19% of men have experienced at least one form of harassment in the previous 12 months. One in five men also report feeling unsafe while walking alone after dark in public places.

I want our community – Balham, Earlsfield, Furzedown and Tooting – to be a safe space for all.

With darker nights here, I called on local businesses to sign up to be a Safe Space where residents know they can pop in when they feel unsafe walking home, charge their phone, or make a call to the police.

Businesses signed up in their droves. Now, when you see the Safe Space sticker, you can take comfort in the knowledge this business is committed to help keep you safe.

Please rest assured that the safety of our community will always be a priority.

If you're a local business and you'd like to sign up as a Safe Space, thank you!

Simply enter your details below to sign up: