Additional funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) and community safety has been secured in four areas within the Dyfed-Powys police area, including Pembrokeshire.

A total of £45,000 of additional funding has been secured by Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn to increase safety of women and girls at busy night-time economy hotspots in particular.

The funding will go towards purchasing women’s safety kits, community Pop Up Safe Spaces and Training and Assessment for Licensed Premises.

2,000 women’s safety kits will be purchased and distributed in night-time economy hotspots such as Haverfordwest.

The safety kits will include a torch, panic alarm and anti-spike drink cover. Also included will be a unique SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray that works by spraying the offender with an invisible synthetic DNA solution, marking skin and clothing for days, weeks or even months – greatly increasing the chances of conviction.

Licensed premises within identified areas such as Haverfordwest will be given access to the Security and Vulnerability Initiative (SAVI) tools to help owners and operators of licensed premises to provide a safe and secure environment for their managers, staff, customers and local communities. SAVI does this by providing personalised advice and recommendations to promote prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

Mr. Llywelyn said: “I welcome the news of this additional funding that has been secured through my Office.“I have highlighted in my new Police and Crime Plan the need for us to reduce violence against women and girls as we prioritise preventing harm to individuals and the communities of Dyfed-Powys.

“This funding will allow us to take a practical approach to tackle some of the issues on the ground, by providing physical equipment to women and girls, as well working with partners to increase safety at busy night-time economy locations”.

Deputy Chief Constable, Claire Parmenter, said: “The Safer Streets funding received from the Home Office is welcomed. It has enabled us to focus our already tremendous efforts on making the communities of Dyfed-Powys safer.

“This money will continue to allow our neighbourhood policing teams to deliver initiatives around tackling violence against women and girls, improving the safety of women at night, and working with our night-time economy partners to improve safety for everyone.

“Dyfed-Powys Police continues to work hard to improve safety in our neighbourhoods. We welcome the thoughts of the many partner organisations, businesses and citizens that call Dyfed-Powys home, and of course to the thousands of visitors we see to the force area each year.”

Dyfed-Powys Police Officers and Staff that will be involved in the initiative were recently provided training by Selectamark on the use of the Womens’ Safety Kits ahead of their distribution at busy night-time economy locations in the Dyfed-Powys area.

Chief Inspector Dyfed Bolton, force lead for neighbourhood policing, said “Dyfed-Powys Police is proud to be working with Selectamark to promote the safety of women and girls in our force area.”

“Our neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work tirelessly with partners to stop violence against women and girls, making our neighbourhoods safer places to live, work and have leisure time.”

James Brown, Managing Director of Selectamark Security Systems, the manufacturer of the SelectaDNA Personal defence Spray said: “We first started providing crime prevention solutions to Dyfed Powys Police over 10 years ago, but this is a particularly exciting and ground-breaking initiative.

“The police are providing women and girls who could find themselves in vulnerable situations with the very latest crime-fighting technology, which sends the strongest possible message to potential offenders not to consider committing such awful crimes.”