As violence increases, so does promotion of the night-time economy in Bristol
Sexual assaults are massively under reported, say Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Two men have been arrested in Bristol allegedly after a video on social media appears to show them slipping drugs into women’s drinks. This incident took place at the University of the West of England. The blatant manner of the man in the video is quite shocking but the reality of harassment, assault, and rape of women weekly is not surprising at all. It’s actually well-known and policed at great cost.
The most prominent places for anti-social behaviour, crime, rape and sexual assault in Bristol are at nightclubs and bars. Park Street, followed by Pryzm, O2 Academy, OMG OMG and SWX and are the worst places for all violent incidents, as shown in data by Avon and Somerset Constabulary. This information was presented, at the same licensing committee on 8 March 2021 where the consultation to shut down SEVs was voted through.
The police were providing information in order to support the cumulative impact area in the city centre. This is an additional licensing mechanism that affords them some increased powers in relation to premises. It is spelt out quite plainly that most of the violence is due to “the night time economy with the amount of people in the city centre consuming alcohol.”
“ASB Nuisance calls to police are more prevalent over the weekend when our Night Time economy is at is busiest,” write the A&S Constabulary.
Over the two-year period on which the data is presented, May 2018 and May 2020, there were 1906 assault reports, with 1305 occurring between Friday – Sunday. The estimated “crime cost” was £1,541,201 and in terms of time, police hours spent dealing with these assaults totalled 5,779.
The police also noted 91 sexual assaults and rapes at licensed premises, but with the proviso that sexual assaults are “massively under reported.” Only two of these incidents were at an SEV, Urban Tiger, compared to 10, 9 and 8 reported in the aforementioned clubs respectively; Pryzm was the worst performing premise out of all the data.
The evidence of violence due to the night time economy and the threat to women’s lives could not be any clearer. However, the council’s main time and energy seems to be spent trying to shut down SEVs while promoting the night time economy.
The Bristol at Night board put in a statement to the licensing committee asking only for the economies of the bars and nightclubs to be considered during a tough time for these premises because of lockdown, and Bristol City Council hired a night time czar at what appears to be a cost to taxpayers to lobby for it. This night time czar has spent time promoting the nightclubs and the night time economy while refusing to comment on the consultation to shut down SEVs.
If I was going to take action to make life safer for women, I wouldn’t start by shutting down SEVs and promoting bars and nightclubs. The backwards nature of what the council is funding becomes very obvious when looking at what actually happens in Bristol.
Now let’s see what happens to the two men arrested. It’s unlikely to result in any licensed premise being urged to shut down.
It’s almost as if women’s safety is not what the SEV closures are all about.