Design for safety

The way your venue is designed can affect how safe people feel. Identify risks and take action to make positive changes.

How to design a safe venue 

A safe venue is about more than training and policies. Good lighting, clear reporting routes, visible staff and a supportive culture all help people feel safe and make it harder for unsafe behaviour to go unnoticed.

Ask yourself, if you were a customer, how you would respond to all the questions below.

• Would I feel safe in all areas of the venue?
• Are there any dark or poorly lit areas?
• Can I easily see staff if I need help?
• Is there a safe, private place where I could speak to a member of staff?
• Would staff take my concerns seriously?
• Are staff visible and able to spot unsafe behaviour?
• Can I easily find information on how to report a concern?
• Are CCTV cameras and other safety measures clearly visible?

Identify risks

It is important to consider how perpetrators can use the layout of a venue to their advantage. For example:

• Poorly lit areas
• Spaces hidden from staff
• Areas not covered by CCTV
• Isolated corridors or exits

If there are areas without lighting or CCTV, these can be manipulated to carry out assault or harassment. 

Create safe spaces

Is there a private space where customers or staff can go if they feel unsafe? Is this space easy for staff to access when needed?

Good use of CCTV

Managers need to review CCTV and lighting, and ask the following questions.

• Is CCTV positioned in the right locations?
• Is image quality clear enough to identify people if needed?
• Is CCTV supported by good lighting?
• Do you keep footage for an appropriate length of time?
• Do staff understand their responsibilities around CCTV and confidentiality?
• Do staff receive regular refresher training?

Staff knowledge and training

Do staff know how to respond to reports and incidents, and record incidents accurately? Training could include:

• Ask for Angela
• Active Bystander
• Sexual harassment and sexual violence awareness
• Spiking awareness

Create a safe and open culture

In order for people to feel safe space, they must feel that they can speak openly and honestly. It's important to practice and encourage open communication that fosters a safe culture.

• Do staff feel confident reporting concerns?
• Do staff feel listened to and supported?
• Do managers encourage people to speak up about incidents?
• Do customers know how to report concerns and get help?