A cross border program by the Albury and Wodonga City Councils has seen the promotion of safer licensed venues for women within the area.
The STRAWS program, ‘Safer Times Round Albury Wodonga for Women’, was established in 1999. The STRAW’s process involves a safety audit of each participating premises. This audit includes the assessment of both physical and attitudinal factors related to the safety of the premises for women.
Venues are visited during the day and night by audit teams to observe general aspects of safety and security at both busy and quiet times. Lighting and areas of concealment are assessed during the night audit. At the conclusion of the program, venues receive a list of recommendations that aim to improve safety aspects for women.
The program works in partnership with NSW and Victorian Police, the NSW Attorney General’s Department, the Albury and Wodonga City Councils, the Albury Women’s Refuge and the Albury Wodonga Women’s Centre.
“It has been well supported by hotels, clubs and the Albury Wodonga community,” said Albury Council’s Community Services Officer, Jenny Hanuska. “The program also provides annual awards to entertainment and hospitality venues in Albury and Wodonga for their contribution towards women’s safety.
“The project team is very pleased with the efforts that venues take towards improving safety for women based on the recommendations of the previous years audit process. With a number of new venues participating in 2002, it will be interesting to see, for instance, who the People’s Choice Award will go to when the public is called on to vote for their favourite venue.”
For further information, contact Jenny Hanuska at Albury City Council on (02) 6023 8174, or Wodonga City Council’s Risk Manager, Di Ferguson on (02) 6055 9210.
