Work with Skye Alexandra  has centred around engaging with teenage girls and young women, meeting weekly at the CVA Resource Centre. They discuss and plan activities on a range of safety issues facing young women today, this includs issues such as vulnerability to sexual exploitation, harassment and abuse in public spaces.

By sharing these experiences enables them to recognise behaviours that have been accepted as 'a fact of life' and to voice the unacceptability of this culture. Group members are drawing businesses in the high street into the conversation to create a wider picture of how the high street community builds safety for all, in particular women.

Businesses engaging includes two barber shops, a high street cosmetics company, a local café and a coffee vendor. 

One barber's shop is engaging with young men to increase awareness of how they may contribute to an intimidating atmosphere on the high street for women by standing in groups around shop entrances. Another barber's is providing a safe space for young people to go, when they are not feeling safe on the high street.

A local café is working on building a sense of community in the West Croydon area with weekly community led events and a coffee vendor is proactively contributing to the safety of himself and his stall when an incidence flares up.

High street store LUSH encourages staff to be vigilant and conscious of the activies on the high street, with individuals subsequently stepping in to support young people in trouble outside the shop.

As the teenage girls leading this engagement build a picture of the high street, they hope to uncover untapped strengths in how hate crime can be reduced, and how reporting can be increased.

This ABCD project is funded by MOPAC, for more information contact our Hate Crime ABCD Community Builder Priya Loomba, priya.loomba@cvalive.org.uk, telephone 07943364310