Hampshire police commissioner: Not enough officers to protect women

A police and crime commissioner (PCC) has admitted there are not yet enough officers on the beat to deal with men harassing women on nights out.

Hampshire PCC Donna Jones was reacting to a BBC story in which women described being "touched, followed, begged and grabbed" after dark in Southampton.

Asked if there were enough officers to deal with the problem, she replied: "No not yet - but we're getting there."

Southampton City Council said it would also spend more to keep women safe.

Ms Jones, a Conservative, pledged last year to hire 600 more officers. She said 500 will have joined the force by September and that more would continue to be hired regularly after that.

"We do need more and the best way to tackle [sexual harassment] in public places is by having a greater police presence," she added.

Satvir Kaur, leader of Southampton's Labour-controlled city council, said the authority would be setting up a "safer neighbourhood fund".

"The primary purpose of that fund is to have infrastructure changes that allow people - particularly women and girls - to feel safer, whether that is better lighting or CCTV," she said.

She added that educating men and boys about what is acceptable behaviour was also important.

Victoria McCarthy, from domestic abuse charity Yellow Door, said she was "saddened" by the accounts of harassment by young women but "not shocked or surprised".

"It's intimidating, it's premediated, it can lead to more and I think it very much shows there is still a huge issue around this," she said.

Rich Gilbert, proprietor of Southampton nightclub Cafe Parfait, said he and his fellow nightclub owners were doing "all we can" to protect women.

"At the moment there is obviously a slight issue with people behaving badly around women," he added.

"We spend a lot of time on any given night checking the CCTV, looking after young and vulnerable women, making sure they're OK and making sure they get home OK."

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