Safer living in Glen Eira

There are 152,000 residents in Glen Eira Council, with population density forecast to reach 180,000 in 2036.

Everyone has a right to live without fear. Self-defence classes for residents will provide skills to increase confidence in day-to-day living.

If this application is successful it will enable locals to feel safer, and defend themselves if ever needed. The funding would cover 80 classes over a year and empower 2,000 residents. It will also help people become more aware in their day-to-day living and to speak out for others in the community. Supporting this project is a step towards a safer community.

Safety is an ongoing concern. Only 62% of Glen Eira residents feel safe walking after dark, and in 2016-17 there were 209 incidents recorded on railway stations in the area. One in 11 Australian women experience violence from a stranger.

Glen Eira’s Community Safety Plan 2018-2022 highlights ‘feeling safe and secure in…public spaces is…a human right’, and supports ‘a strong community with high levels of wellbeing’. The Victorian Government has also stated ‘there’s nothing more important than keeping our state safe’.

Waiting for society to change is not an option. Self-defence and knowing how to escape threatening situations is vital.