Mostly Wafaa Izz Eddin feels welcome in the Wollongong community but admits there are times she does not feel safe enough to leave the house with her three young children.
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The refugee relocated to the area with her family just over three years ago and said sometimes she has opted to stay home rather than feel uncomfortable.
“I feel welcome the majority of places but sometimes I get a bad [look from someone], makes me feel unsafe and unwelcome and so I avoid events and avoid going out with my children,” she said.
On Wednesday Ms Izz Eddin said she was excited to tell others in her community it was okay to speak up at the launch of Wollongong City Council initiative to make the city safe for all women – “I Belong in the Gong”.
Council are undertaking a survey until March 31 to determine where women feel most unsafe around the CBD as well as creating a charter for businesses to sign up which will make them a “safe space”.
The survey data will allow council to develop initiatives and education programs to reduce negative behaviour and provide appropriate support to women seeking assistance.
“This will encourage us to express our feelings, to know the right place and right person who we can talk about what we feel,” Ms Izz Eddin said. “This service it’s a connection to help us and protect us.”
Wollongong council sought women from different demographics (young people, LGBTQI, Indigenous Australians, the elderly and refugees) to join the co-design team.
Grace Jennings is a member of the team and said so far survey results showed while 75 per cent of respondents said they did feel safe walking around the CBD, the vast majority altered their behaviour to do so.
She said many respondents revealed things like they wouldn’t walk alone at night or they would talk on the phone whilst walking or would only go out with a male so they could feel safe.
“Women take for granted they are going to get harassed when they walk down the street, it’s just common part of being a woman,” Miss Jennings said.
“Also working as a social worker I’ve had a lot of my girls complain a lot about how they are harassed and abused in certain ways in the CBD and on public transport and also anecdotally from friends as well.”
The 12-month project is a collaboration by council with the NSW Department of Justice, NSW Police, Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra, Illawarra Multicultural Services and Strategic Community Assistance to Refugee Families (SCARF).
“The safety of women is a core function of many jobs we go to. Domestic violence is an obvious one, licensed premises and olbv late night incidents in and about the CBD but it’s all throughout our commands and on transport,” said Wollongong Acting Superintendent Chad Gillies. “We are doing out bit to help reduce that fear.”
WHERE DO YOU FEEL UNSAFE?
Wollongong City Council want to know where individuals feel vulnerable and are urging all women to complete a survey by March 31.
The survey will determine where women feel most unsafe around the CBD with the data to be used to develop initiatives and education programs to reduce negative behaviour and provide appropriate support to women seeking assistance.
Council is also creating a charter for retailers in the CBD to sign up which will make them a “safe space”.
Businesses who sign the charter will also undertake safety modules and be allowed to present the “I Belong in the Gong” sticker so the public knows they are in a safe and inclusive space. The sticker signifies these stores are working to ensure the safety of women.
“That sticker means something - we’re not expecting retailers to do anything other than sell but make their places feel safer when someone walks in the door,” said Wollongong Council’s community safety officer Radda Jordan.
“[It’s] really believing the old saying that a city that’s safe for women is safe for everyone.”
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the city should be a place where everyone can feel safe and belong.
The survey can be found at the customer service desk at council offices on Burelli Street, or online at www.haveyoursaywollongong.com.au/womens-safety-project