A group held a self-defence class in a bid to empower women amid concerns over street safety and high rates of domestic violence.
Dumbarton West Community Events Group organised the class at St Michael’s Church Hall last week in response to two sexual assaults at Dalreoch railway station and the region having the second worst rate of domestic abuse in the country.
And more than a year on from the murder of Sarah Everard as she walked back to her London home alone after visiting a friend, Clare Sweeney, from the group, questioned if anything has changed to keep women safelocally.
She said: “We attended the vigil for Sarah Everard on Dumbarton High Street, and my daughter asked me if I thought it would happen again.
“I had to say probably.
“What are the council doing to keep women safe? What has changed since Sarah Everard’s murder?
“Our street lighting is horrendous. It’s not fit for purpose.
“After Sarah Everard’s murder the advice was to flag a bus driver if you’re in trouble. But we have one bus that does the rounds after 7pm. You could wait 40 minutes.
“The lack of taxis is a huge issue. I phoned a taxi on a wet, dark night and had a 40 minute wait at Dalreoch Station.
“I didn’t know what to do. Should I stand at a station where I know there have been sexual assaults, or do I take the risk and walk late at night?
“After a certain time public transport becomes a luxury for us. And that shouldn’t be the case.”
A woman was sexually assaulted at Dalreoch Station in February last year, while in August, British Transport Police issued an appeal for information after a teenage girl was sexually assaulted at the station.
The latest figures meanwhile show West Dunbartonshire has the second worst rate of domestic abuse in Scotland, whilst the area has seen sexual assaults rise by almost 25 percent in the last year.
The group was able to hold the self-defence masterclass thanks to funding from Comic Relief and Clare told how she felt it was a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
She continued: “I was a wee bit apprehensive about how it would be. It wasn’t being done for nice reasons. It isn’t nice that women have to give additional consideration to their safety.
“The event was great though, we had a laugh and everybody got really involved, we even had two councillors – Caroline McAllister and Diane Docherty – attend and show their support.
“There were some sensitive moments as well. Moments where we were being shown how to get away from someone attacking you from behind. That was not nice.
“The camaraderie was really good however. It was beneficial for everyone.”
A donation from trade union Unite also allowed the group to purchase safety packs containing personal alarms, a phone and a torch, but Clare admits that she felt mixed emotions handing them out.
She added: “That isn’t something I should be giving to my daughter with a smile on my face. But it’s something that’s needed.
“We’re hugely grateful for the Comic Relief funding. We always wanted to offer safety packs, and Unite were incredible.
“Dumbarton West is an area where people can’t afford things like this. Because of the cost of living crisis people can’t afford to pay for things like a safety lamp. But we shouldn’t be reliant on having to apply for funding for things like this.”
Unite’s Margaret Wood said: “Unite are delighted to help this community group with a donation to buy safety equipment.
“It is shameful that women do not feel safe to walk home at night.
“I believe this has been exacerbated by a lack of taxis in our local area.
“If taxi drivers had been supported appropriately during Covid they would not have had to leave their profession to find other means of employment.
“However it is fantastic that we have women such as Clare within our communities who are not only raising awareness but are putting practical help in, organising self defence classes and raising funds to buy packs to give out to any woman who feels at risk.”
A council spokeswoman said community safety is a key priority, explaining: “Throughout the pandemic, we supported local businesses including taxi drivers and operators within West Dunbartonshire with over £31m worth of grants.
“As well as increased neighbourhood patrols from our anti-social behaviour team and enhanced CCTV provision, we have also invested significantly in street lighting throughout West Dunbartonshire to reduce dark areas and maximise the illumination of our road and footway network.”
