As daylight hours shorten and night falls earlier each day, we're making our local streets feel safer for everyone by making street harassment an offence.
New borough-wide restrictions prohibit unwanted verbal or physical attention in Hammersmith & Fulham that's likely to make people feel harassed or unsafe.
H&F officers can issue fixed penalty notices to those who fail to comply with the restrictions. Anyone who doesn't pay their fine could be taken to court and, if found guilty, pay up to £1,000.
The new measures cover a range of behaviours, from catcalls, slurs and sexualised comments, to inappropriate gestures, following, and non-consensual physical contact.
Cllr Rebecca Harvey, H&F Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety, said:
Our message is clear – street harassment has no place in H&F. Everyone deserves to feel safe in our borough, whether they're walking to work, enjoying a night out, or simply going about their day."
Superintendent for H&F, Craig Knight, said:
"I am delighted for the police and local authority to have collaborated to produce this PSPO following consultation with the community.
"As the first of its kind in London, it is designed to support improved safety, reduce harm to women and girls in public and set clear standards of acceptable behaviour across the borough."
Join a walk & talk
The new street harassment restrictions will be in effect for an initial three years across the whole borough.
To help introduce and enforce the new rules, H&F's Law Enforcement Team (LET) have increased patrols around crime hotspots and main transport hubs during peak commute times and weekends.
Residents can help make H&F safer by sharing information about areas where they feel unsafe or have witnessed harassment.
Join H&F officers for a walkabout around our town centres:
- Saturday 12 Oct, 11am-1pm, Lyric Square W6
- Friday 18 Oct, 11am-1pm, Lyric Square W6
- Thursday 7 Nov, 2pm-4pm, Shepherds Bush tube station
Safety champions
The campaign follows a public consultation earlier in the year that demonstrated strong support for action against street harassment in H&F.
The survey found that:
- 85% of respondents said a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) would help tackle street harassment. Of those surveyed
- 47% had experienced harassment themselves
- 53% had recently witnessed harassment in public
- 78% of the respondents were women.
In response to resident feedback, each H&F Law Enforcement officer has undergone specialist violence against women and girls training. This includes instruction on how to effectively intervene as harassment occurs and how to support women by referring them to specialist support services.
"Our officers are now better equipped than ever to tackle street harassment and support those affected by it," added Cllr Harvey. "This training is a crucial part of our commitment to making H&F safer for everyone."
Report it
Residents can alert our LET officers to areas of concern online by submitting a report via our dedicated Have Your Say page.
To arrange to meet with our LET officers and show them specific locations of concern, call 020 8753 1100 and select option 3, or email report-harassment@lbhf.gov.uk. This local knowledge will help officers target their patrols more effectively.
If you have been a victim of street harassment, email us at streetharassment@lbhf.gov.uk
Our specialist officers will be able to review your case and provide tailored, confidential support.
In an emergency, always call 999.
OTHER WAYS H&F IS TACKLING VAWG
Angelou partnership
H&F offers financial support to local specialist services through the Angelou Partnership, which provide support to women and girls aged 13+ affected by domestic or sexual violence and abuse.
They include Al-Hasaniya, Advance, IKWRO, Women and Girls Network, Galop and Solace.
Last year, the partnership provided tailored, confidential support to 724 women and children experiencing violence at home.
Providing safehouses
H&F has acquired two local women's refuges, securing 14 safe beds for women fleeing domestic abuse, and helped install three new kitchens across two refuges – an investment in the safety and comfort of those seeking shelter.
Boosting safety on a night out
H&F offers supports women's safety in bars, clubs and other licenced venues through the Ask for Angela scheme. Our regular visits ensure staff awareness and readiness to assist those in need.
Educating the next generation
H&F's Youth Council works to represent local young people's voices.
Its latest project, a podcast series on relationships, involves 11-25-year-olds working with H&F Council. Episodes will be shared via the Youth Hub webpage during H&F's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Abuse.
