‘We’re fighting back’: Leeds women take safety into their own hands with new training scheme
Hundreds of women and girls in Leeds are set to receive self-defence training as recorded violence continues to rise.
Sessions in boxing, yoga and self-defence will be given to 1,000 women as part of the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund to help tackle crime and improve safety in the city.
Delivered by CATCH Leeds and Leeds City College, the UniteHer programme comes as recorded violence against women and girls has risen by 37 per cent in five years across England and Wales.
It comes as the streets of Leeds are set to echo with the voices of women and their allies making a stand against violence today.
A Reclaim the Night march is set to take place in Leeds tonight to coincide with the turning back of the clocks on Sunday, October 26, which is when women often report feeling unsafe in public spaces after dark.
Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "It’s inspiring to see so many people working in their communities preventing crime and improving safety across our streets to create a fairer, safer West Yorkshire."
Aimed at vulnerable and underrepresented women and girls, the support sessions will be available through referrals at youth charity CATCH’s Harehills base and tailored for staff and students at Leeds City College. They will tackle issues linked to stalking, harassment and domestic abuse.
The other major focus of the programme will be on helping women find pathways into work, and particularly into careers in the police, fire and ambulance services or the armed forces.
Sidra Choudray, public services coach at Leeds City College and team leader at CATCH Leeds, is delivering the UniteHer workshops.
She said: “Generally, women hold back because they don’t feel safe or confident enough to take part, especially in mixed spaces.
“Initiatives like this are crucial to supporting a more widely represented public services industry, and to empowering women and creating safer communities”.
A spokesperson for CATCH Leeds added: “The work UniteHer does, especially with local young girls, has a real impact on their confidence and ambitions for their future.
“Collaborating with Leeds City College is a model that helps young people gain the skills, confidence, and purpose they need to take their next steps into education or employment.”