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Cheltenham Festival 2023: What women face during race week

More police are patrolling the streets during Cheltenham Festival to try to make women feel safe during the 2023 four-day event.

More than 68,000 people watch the races, with hundreds heading to local bars after-hours.

Some women have told the BBC they are reluctant to work while the event is on, because they fear being propositioned or sexually harassed.

Video Journalists: Francesca Osborne and Esme Ashcroft

17 March 2023

Sexual harassment

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A woman in a wheelchair. She is wearing a black jumper and a white and black skirt.

The women who are asked 'how do you have sex?'

Two people dressed as ghosts with sheets over their body and dark sunglasses covering their eyes

Spooks dress as ghosts for scary Halloween surprise

Gloucestershire

Rachel Reeves

Watch: Reeves 'deeply proud' to be first female chancellor

Three women sitting on grass looking at coursework together. They are near a sign that says Dundee.

Afghan women describe joy at resuming medical dreams in Scotland

Tayside & Central Scotland

The word menopause on a lightbox surrounded by pills

Doctor answers your menopause questions

Gemma Dunstan at BBC Cardiff Central square on a balcony in front of a tv control room. she has long dark hair and is wearing a loose grey top

How do police forces catch misbehaving officers?

An independent review found that Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre had not put survivors first.

Rape Crisis Scotland boss apologises to rape survivors over support centre failings

Edinburgh, Fife & East

Gemma Doherty, wearing a kilt and blue t-shirt lifts two large stones on chains.

Stone-lifting mum is not your typical strong woman

Gisèle Pélicot speaking to reporter with crowd of microphones in front of her

'We'll have to fight to the end' - woman at centre of French rape case

A green wooden shed in a garden, surrounded by plants and grasses

Two shed builders to go head-to-head in competition

Catriona Aitken - who has glasses and tied-back brown hair and is wearing a black floral dress - sat on an orange sofa, with the colourful panels of the BBC Wales office behind her

What is chemical menopause?

Cheltenham lido during summer solstice

Swimmers enjoy early dip to mark summer solstice

Gloucestershire

Danielle Morrison

Street furniture turned into works of art

Tinessa Kaur in her barrister robes

Sikh woman becomes first to win barrister award

People doing cheese rolling

'Cheese rolling is like climbing down a cliff'

Victoria Atkins

The NHS was created by men for men, says health secretary

Molly Fenton, founder of Love Your Period

Women told alternative treatments could risk health

She creates Youtube content and Tik Tok videos too to share educational information about the syndrome.

The TikToker raising awareness of Tourette's syndrome

Gloucestershire

Boy in blue puffa jacket holds up tiny bit of metal with field in background

'That's really cool'- detectorist, 10, on rare find

Gloucestershire

Actress Ashley Judd

Ashley Judd: 'It's a hard day' for Weinstein survivors

Van driving into front drive with mini roundabout, with trees

Historic Cotswold house starring in TV series Rivals

The hit-TV series stars David Tennant, Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean.

Gloucestershire

A green HGV with a driver, whose face has been blurred, sitting behind the wheel

Lorry driver caught eating with a spoon at the wheel

Gloucestershire Police share footage from an operation involving officers in an unmarked HGV.

Gloucestershire

Gloucester Brick Project founder Dan Petley standing in front of the painted wall

Community works together to paint huge city mural

The project involves hundreds of local people painting their own artwork on individual bricks.

Gloucestershire

Gloucester Rugby players Tomas Williams and Gareth Anscombe sitting on the pitch at Kingsholm Stadium

Rugby players take on 'milk challenge'

Gloucester Rugby players aim to drink eight pints of milk in 20 minutes.

Gloucestershire

A red car is seen on dashcam footage driving in the middle of the road towards another car

Police share dashcam videos of dangerous driving

The force has a dedicated officer reviewing submitted footage, which may lead to prosecutions.

Gloucestershire

Student Holly standing in the University of Gloucestershire campus wearing a bright blue cardigan

Student reviving county's old language

Holly wants to revive old Gloucestershire words like "flittermouse", which means bat.

Gloucestershire

River footballers

Annual river football match takes place

Crowds gather to watch two football teams battle it out in the River Windrush.

Gloucestershire

Combat

Inside the world of 'medieval combat'

The unique sport includes weapons, armour, fights and shields.

Gloucestershire

A woman stood in a dark room amongst hundreds of blue lights

Immersive light experience comes to shopping centre

The artwork in Eastgate Shopping Centre is free for anyone to attend until 31 August.

Gloucestershire

People celebrating Jamaican Independence Day at GlosJam

Gloucester celebrates Jamaican Independence Day

People enjoyed the warmth in Gloucester Park as a Caribbean celebration was held.

Gloucestershire

Three women stand in front of an advertising board with feeling the pinch written on it

Burger van offering donated meal scheme for families

The business has launched a pay it forward scheme to help families struggling to afford food.

Gloucestershire

Image of two men. They have their arms around each other and are laughing

Pupils past and present enjoy annual cricket match

Pupils from when the school opened in the 1950s joined the current year sixes for the annual tradition.

Gloucestershire

A Red Arrows pilot prepares to get into his plane at the Royal International Air Tattoo

Red Arrows arrive at Royal International Air Tattoo

The famous planes will take to the skies at RIAT in Gloucestershire this weekend.

Gloucestershire

A Globemaster aircraft comes into land at Fairford ahead of RIAT 2024

Aircraft arrive for Royal International Air Tattoo

About 150,000 people are expected to visit the annual show this week.

Gloucestershire

Colourful houses in Tredworth

Streets transformed with colourful murals

Artist Tash Frootko is known for lining the streets of Gloucestershire with colour.

Gloucestershire

Two black Labradors sitting on a stone ledge. Both are wearing special badges with their ID photos.

Labradors brought in to meet and greet Abbey visitors

Eric and Florence also act as therapy dogs to support people visiting Tewkesbury Abbey.

Gloucestershire

Richard Graham

'The centre and the centre-right is now split'

Former Conservative MP for Gloucester, Richard Graham, has lost his seat to Labour's Alex McIntyre.

Gloucestershire

Woman in Gloucester

Have you heard the phrase 'genny lec'?

Asking people how they feel about the new slang term "genny lec".

Gloucestershire

The Boogie Bin

'I'm so confused' - Man's surprise at talking bin

The Boogie Bin, which moves and plays music, was seen on the streets of Cirencester.

Gloucestershire

Tabitha wearing the blue ball gown type dress

Broken classroom blinds make perfect dress for fashion student

Ribston Hall High School student Tabitha, will compete at the Junk Kouture Finals later this year.

Gloucestershire