‘Almost a third of young women don’t feel safe in public places at night.’ (Ipsos)
MAY 2019
A member of the Committee recently canvassed local residents about personal safety concerns in West St Kilda. Around 50 residents – 70% of them women – shared their experience.
The majority of women consulted said they, at times, mostly after dark, had concerns about their safety when going out or heading home alone and when coming off the No 96 and No 12 trams at Fraser Street.
The main concerns were around inadequate lighting at tram stops, made worse by foliage. Often mentioned was having ineffective lighting on and around Cowderoy St, some women preferring to walk down the middle of the street in order to see or be seen more clearly. There were also anecdotal accounts of a local assault and of a recent “unpleasant incident”.
Male residents appeared less concerned than women about their personal safety. However, a few men admitted that, as they were getting older, they felt more vulnerable.
There was consensus on the need for our streets to be brighter, for more / better lighting to be installed in sensitive areas and for regular pruning on both sides of Cowderoy Street.