Camden Council has launched a new board to begin a new programme of action to improve safety for women and girls in the borough.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Board was launched on International Women's Day, March 8, and is a collaboration between the police, the health services, community and voluntary groups and representatives from schools and universities.

The board will meet every three months to drive forward the borough’s work on domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and other forms of VAWG.

Councillor Angela Mason, cabinet member for best start for children and families, said: “Camden has always taken a stand against domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, however, we know we have a long way to go.

"The aim of the Camden VAWG board will be to bring partners from a range of organisations to take collective action to make Camden a safe place for everyone – there’s a lot to do but I’m sure through this board we can make a real, lasting change to end gender-based violence in Camden.”

Cllr Nadia Shah, cabinet member for safer communities, said: “Our priority is to ensure Camden is a place where women and girls feel safe to go about their daily lives without feeling intimidated, frightened, or threatened."

Other work in the area includes Camden's publication of a domestic abuse and violence action plan which led to a policy to ensure victims of abuse who are council tenants are properly supported, mandatory domestic abuse training for all council staff.

Support programmes for children and young people have been introduced to help young people who have witnessed or been exposed to domestic violence as well as a new service that offers free legal advice to survivors.

The council recently ran a series of "women’s safety walkabouts" in partnership with the police to understand where women do not feel safe.

The council’s Camden Safety Net team also provides confidential support for anyone at risk or experiencing domestic abuse. The support is often a lifeline for survivors and helps them rebuild their lives.

For more information and support on domestic violence, including information on spotting the key signs of domestic abuse or unhealthy relationships go to camden.gov.uk/domestic-violence.