Alison Hume: the only candidate who has pledged to tackle violence against women and girls.

I have been disappointed to see that, in the upcoming elections on 6 May, there is only one woman candidate standing in North Yorkshire. We have now had two women prime ministers and currently have 219 women MPs, so, I had hoped to see more representation in our local candidates.

I have been following Alison Hume’s campaign for Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner with interest. Alison has made several pledges, addressing issues critical for North Yorkshire, including drug dealing and wildlife crime. She is also the only candidate who has pledged to tackle violence against women and girls.

In North Yorkshire, the charge rate for domestic abuse-related crime last year was just 4 percent, compared to 9 percent across the whole of England and Wales. This disparity is shocking, and needs to be fixed. Following the events of the past few months, I know many women are on high alert and are feeling unsafe on the streets, particularly at night. We need a Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who not only takes these issues of harassment and violence seriously, but who also has a clear action plan to tackle these issues head on.

Letter originally published in Letters to the editor – Yorkshire Bylines