Women's street watch growing five years on
Women's Street WatchA street watch group which helps women on nights out said it is "busier" than it "ever predicted".
Women's Street Watch Newcastle was set up by Charlie following the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa in 2021 and provides a safe space for women in the city's Bigg Market.
The group helps make sure women get home safe on a Friday and Saturday night, but also hands out supplies including free flip flops so they do not cut their feet once heels have been abandoned.
Last Saturday, Charlie said the group helped 59 people get home or continue their night safely and 53 of them were women.
"We're really busy, busier than we ever predicted," Charlie said.
But she said over the five years the group had been going, things looked to be getting better.
"Unfortunately it's still a reality that 20% of women will experience violence from men in their life, but the generational difference we're seeing, the younger lads at university, how quickly they will step in and intervene and do something is really heartwarming," she said.
Hope for expansion
Volunteer Susan said she loved being part of the community of volunteers.
"I used to be that woman, a young woman who thought I was older than I was, put myself in vulnerable positions, having too much alcohol and losing my shoes and my mates and having no money to get a taxi home," she said.
But now, she looked forward to her nights spent helping others.
"I like to describe it as a messy night out but none of the mess is yours," Susan said.
The group said over the years, it had developed a strong relationship with the bars and takeaways on the Bigg Market which meant the women it helped were able to use their facilities more easily.
"Whereas sometimes the bouncers wouldn't let her in because she was drunk," Susan said.
"If we were with her they'd let her in."
Charlie said Women's Street Watch Newcastle's social media post from last Saturday got 4.3m views, which was a record for the group.
The reach resulted in an influx of 200 prospective volunteers, but the aim is to double that number.
"Our big dream would be to not only run shifts Friday, Saturday, but also Monday, Wednesday to catch the student night," Charlie said.
"The more of us there are, the more work we can do, the further through the city we can spread."
