Safety Net charity launch

Night-time economy staff and stakeholders invited to charity launch for safer nights out.

The Safety Night-time Economy Team (‘Safety Net’) is encouraging all night-time economy staff and stakeholders to attend its launch event on 7 November.

The charity was established to raise awareness of, and prevent, sexual assault, harassment, and drink spiking in Guernsey’s night-time economy. It has the full support of the Committee for Home Affairs, Guernsey Police, Victim Support and Guernsey’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

Attendees at the event will receive a free starter pack for their venue and will be listed on Safety Net’s website as showing an early interest in supporting efforts to improve public safety.

Safety Net Chair, Poppy Murray, said the launch event will be an opportunity for stakeholders to find out more about the charity’s aims.

“Safety Net has three primary aims, to educate the public on the legalities of these three offences, to deter perpetrators and to protect and support victims. We are actively looking to work in partnership will all night-time economy venues,” said Miss Murray.

“We know that some venues already have measures in place to try to protect their customers from these offences, however we are seeking to put all venues on a level playing field by introducing best practice guidelines across industry. This will ensure that there is consistency for the public when it comes to their safety, no matter where they are.”

The launch event – which has been scheduled deliberately to coincide with a quieter time for most licenced venues – will see presentations from the President of the Committee for Home Affairs, Deputy Rob Prow, Guernsey Police Deputy Chief Officer, Ian Scholes, SARC Manager, Charlie Cox and Victim Support Manager, Jenny Murphy.

Deputy Prow said he would encourage all licensed trade stakeholders to attend the event: “Since 2021, the Committee has been actively exploring ways to make the island’s night-time economy a safer place for the community.

“We have been working closely with Poppy over the last 18 months and have been delighted to be able to be involved with the work she is doing. It has directly assisted us in furthering our goal of improving the safety of people going out in to Town, alongside the work we have been doing with licensees and the police. As such, we fully support Safety Net’s aims. We continue to be very conscious of the issues affecting public safety and hope that as many venues as possible represent themselves at this event and sign up to implement the best practice  guidelines.

“Furthermore we are especially impressed that Poppy has developed and formalised her initiatives into the charitable organisation being launched, and has assembled an extremely high calibre of people around her to support this valuable work as it moves forward.”