What was the first major live event you attended and what impact did that experience have on you ? My domestic situation meant I was never one for getting out .

What led you to found Safer Spaces ? My personal experiences of domestic abuse and sexual violence ( DASV ) led me into the work of supporting other people , mostly women , to access safety and recovery . I worked for a DASV charity , then joined a local authority in their domestic abuse and sexual violence strategic team . I went on to join the Domestic Abuse Commissioner ’ s Team , as the Geographic Lead for Wales and the Southwest of England . In my local authority role I delivered a project at a local festival . I realised that by having a positive presence at festivals and the wider music industry we could make a bigger difference , by educating , challenging and reshaping belief systems – and

that is working . This is by no means a festival issue , it is a societal one , but festivals are cultural drivers , they are in a very unique position to influence change .

What was the biggest landmark moment since its launch ? Delivering our second pilot event at a large festival we responded to multiple incidents of sexual violence and domestic abuse . One young lady had been spiked and raped . Following extensive time with our team , she was supported through reporting the incident to the Police , and leaving the site to undertake forensic examinations . She then elected to stay at the festival with her friends , as she didn ’ t want the person that hurt her to “ win ” and to stop her from enjoying the show . We agreed a daily safety plan with our team and regular check-ins , and moved her and her friends ’ tents to the family area . A lot of the festival management team , police and medics were confused as to why she would want to stay after such a horrific thing happening to her . She told us , ‘ I have been sexually assaulted a lot on nights out and I have been raped before , no one cared and no one believed me . This is the first time I have felt heard , and I feel safer than I have ever felt .’ We are a specialist team and we are very much needed – once

you create a safe and informed environment to hear and respond to DASV and VAWG , people will report . In three years , we have engaged with nearly 40,000 people and our feedback has been positive , with every person telling us they feel safer because of our presence .

If you could change one thing about the live events industry overnight , what would it be ? That every person working in festival production and management knew that the level of domestic abuse and sexual violence happening at their events was astronomical , in-line with the community , and that the impact of not being supported in the right way can be life destroying . Promoters taking responsibility to make shows safe to everyone , by prioritising this issue and the response on site .

Who has inspired you the most over the years ? Every single person that has bravely reported domestic abuse and / or sexual violence to us at a show or spoken to us about their experiences in their past .

What is your favourite way to spend your free time ? I don ’ t really have a lot of free time – I have to change the world !