Growing demand for Strut Safe service that helps women who feel unsafe walking alone at night

A helpline founded in Edinburgh that assists people all over the UK when they feel unsafe walking alone at night is expanding its service as demand continues to grow.

Strut Safe was founded three years ago in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder and is now hoping to offer support during weekdays while also partnering up with festivals and events.

Caragh Campbell got involved with the charity after her daughter moved to university two hours away from home.

She typically takes calls between 11pm and 3am.

Caragh told STV News: “My oldest daughter went off to university, two hours away, and she would always call me if she was walking home somewhere. It just sparked a memory of Strut Safe and I just wanted to be that voice on the phone for other people that I would be for my daughter.

“I’m so thankful there’s a service like this. I’m hoping it’s providing that reassurance and I’m hoping it’s helping people realise that you can go and do what you want – you don’t have to change your patterns when it gets darker, you can call us and we’ll help you feel safer.”

The charity was founded following the death of Sarah Everard, who was abducted and murdered by a serving police officer while walking home in south London.

Originally Edinburgh-based, Strut Safe quickly became a UK-wide service and has around 40 volunteers.

Now the charity is expanding to offer support during some weekdays, while also working with festivals and events to ensure all users get home safely.

Rho Chung, co-founder of Strut Safe, said: “A lot of our callers aren’t just people going out on the weekend, people call us when they’re coming home from work, from the gym, from the library.”

But ultimately campaigners hope that one day we can reach a point where these types of services are no longer needed.

Sandy Brindley, CEO of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “I think Strut Safe, it’s a bit like Rape Crisis, I think we’re services that ultimately don’t want to be existing.

“I think they’re necessary while we still have what is an epidemic of violence against women in Scotland and throughout the world. But I think we really do need to focus on how we tackle the causes of violence against women to make sure that our services, fundamentally, aren’t necessary.”