The Night Stars helping revellers get home safe
As crime rates rise in central London's nightlife areas, a group of volunteers known as the Night Stars are working to keep partygoers safe. According to a report by Westminster City Council, sexual offences in the borough have increased by 11%, with 84% of the victims being women. In response, the Night Stars provide essential support to vulnerable individuals during nights out, equipped with items such as vomit bags, alarms, drink spiking test kits, plastic drink covers, and flip-flops.
Emmanuella Fadire, the council’s women’s safety and hate crime officer, leads the volunteers and emphasizes the importance of their work in ensuring people can enjoy a night out without fear. The Night Stars began their patrols in March 2022, engaging with as many as 20 people per night, often handing out water and sweets to help intoxicated individuals sober up.
The volunteers, who patrol areas like Soho, have observed a change in the atmosphere after midnight, with the environment becoming more chaotic and some individuals becoming more vulnerable. They often encounter "lurkers" who target vulnerable women, although the women are usually capable of handling the situation.
Westminster City Council's research found that a third of women in the borough have experienced street harassment, and 45% feel unsafe at night. The report also noted that crime has doubled in two years, averaging 216 incidents a day, primarily thefts occurring in nightlife hotspots like the West End or St James’s.
In response, the council has introduced training for businesses to combat sexual harassment in their venues. Councillor Iman Less, the council's nightlife champion, stated that the Night Stars offer a different kind of support compared to the police, focusing on ensuring that people get home safely.
The Night Stars' work is seen as crucial, especially in a context where trust in policing is low. Estella Adeyeri from the Good Night Out Campaign highlighted the importance of providing non-judgmental support to individuals who may be vulnerable due to intoxication or other factors.
For Fadire, making nightlife safer requires more than just the efforts of the Night Stars. She suggests rethinking how venues are licensed, especially those selling cheap drinks, and calls for establishments to do more to help patrons sober up before they leave.
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