Girlguiding’s statement on women and girls’ safety

A statement from Girlguiding CEO Angela Salt OBE, Chief Guide Amanda Medler and Chair of the Board of Trustees Catherine Irwin

'Women and girls have a right to feel and be safe at all times of the day and night. Girlguiding’s vision is for an equal world - where girls and young women can be safe, happy and fulfil their potential.

'Our Girls’ Attitudes Survey shows that a quarter (26%) of girls aged 7 to 10 feel unsafe when they go outdoors, increasing to two in five (41%) 17 to 21 year olds. Eight in ten (82%) girls and young women aged 13 to 21 have experienced or know someone who has experienced sexual harassment in a public place. This needs to change. Girlguiding supports a change in the law to make public sexual harassment a crime.'