Moves to protect women and girls – particularly on the streets at night – have been proposed by Council leaders.

A number of recent incidents on the riverside in Richmond, Twickenham and Teddington involving women being chased and threatened have heightened public attention on the the issue.

The Council has decided to allocate £139,000 towards a Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

The money is coming from the Council's own budget after the Home Office refused a bid for cash from a central government fund.

Details of the scheme have yet to be announced, but it will include working with staff in pubs, clubs and other late night venues.

The Council said it wants to ensure women and girls are safe in public spaces and there will be pressure to adopt measures such as improved lighting and CCTV.

The new strategy will involve working with the Metropolitan Police and others.

Two women recently reported being chased by a man wielding a knife on the riverside near Twickenham bridge. In a separate incident, two women reported being chased by a man in a red jumper near Teddington Lock footbridge.

The Council said it will be -

• Increasing engagement with businesses operating at night-time, ensuring they understand safe space initiatives and work with us to improve the safety of women and girls in and around their venues.

• Delivering bystander training to businesses and night-time staff.

• Increasing community safety officer focus on areas where businesses and communities are active at night.

• Developing a 'Safety of Women and Girls' community forum to bring together partner businesses and the local community.

• Working with schools to engage with young people.

The Council said it also wants to make it easier for victims of partner abuse to seek help and ensure the perpetrators are dealt with.

Council leader, Gareth Roberts, said: "It is thought that 2 million people in the UK suffer from some form of domestic abuse each year, and that a quarter of 13 to 18 year old girls report experiencing physical abuse in their intimate partner relationships.

"This is unacceptable, and we need to do what we can to change behaviours and to support those most at risk from abuse and violence.

"This strategy is a first step to resolving a huge problem. Hopefully by working together with our partners and communities, and by listening to the people who have been affected, we can improve the safety of women and girls in Richmond upon Thames."

The borough is accredited to the White Ribbon campaign, which is designed to get men and boys to change their behaviour towards women and girls.

The Richmond White Ribbon champion, Cllr Ben Khosa, said: "This strategy shows that we are serious with our commitment to end all male violence against women and girls.

"White Ribbon is a global campaign that encourages people, and especially men and boys, to act and change the behaviour and culture that can lead to abuse.

"This strategy supports the White Ribbon campaign, and I look forward to increasing our efforts to empower one another to help end male violence."