Women in Southall have expressed safety concerns after being harassed by men at night. According to MyLondon News, a number of corner shops in Southall were allegedly found to be selling alcohol to groups of men who then went on to harass women in the streets. Inspections by Ealing Council and the Metropolitan Police reported finding that six off-licenses in Southall were encouraging street drinking by selling alcohol to groups of men "lingering" in the street. It also stated that women in Southall are scared to go out alone.
Reacting to the news Virendra Sharma MP told Asian Voice, “This is very concerning news, everyone should have the right to feel safe and secure in the street. I am pleased that steps have already been taken to disburse groups of street drinkers, but more can still be done. We need visible policing to deter street drinking and shops to be responsible about who they sell alcohol to. I regularly meet with the Police and Council and will be pushing them to act.”
