Greater Manchester Police, in partnership with Manchester City Council, CityCo, the University of Manchester and the Pub and Club Network, have relaunched the summer Safer Streets operation following last year’s initiative.
The scheme targets Manchester city centre’s night-time economy hotspots, with a focus on tackling violence against women and girls. An additional £50,000 has been allocated to train night-time economy staff to spot and call out predatory behaviour, and to clamp down on crimes such as rape, sexual assault, spiking and harassment.
The operation will see more uniformed and undercover officers deployed across the city centre during busy evenings this summer.
Between December 2023 and March 2025, the initiative led to a 50% drop in rape offences and a 39% reduction in personal robberies.
Although reports of spiking and other sexual offences increased police say this is due to more incidents being reported by door and bar staff following training sessions.
Superintendent Nicola Williams, who leads operations in Manchester city centre, said:
“This additional funding is supporting us to put extra resources into the busiest areas on the busiest days, and hopefully bring similar crime reductions to other nightlife hotspots.
“Our focus will be on tackling the issues that predominantly impact women, but our officers will also be a visible and undercover presence to identify and intervene when they witness any type of incident or unacceptable behaviour.”
Sarah, 25, who did not wish to give her full name, said that while areas such as the Northern Quarter can still feel risky for women at night, she has noticed more bars displaying “Ask for Angela” posters.
Ask for Angela is a nationwide scheme that allows someone who feels threatened in a bar, club, pub, or other venue to discreetly ask staff for help by requesting to “speak to Angela”.
Feature image by Anthony Scanlon from Pixabay
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