I write with reference to letters by Barbara Shore of Herefordshire Women’s Equality Group and Nikki Thomas (Letters, July 25).

Both respond to Hereford Times reports of sexual assaults on women in public places, yet the former goes on to address the more frequent matter of domestic rape and where women can get help, while the latter addresses the need for CCTV in public places.

ALSO READ:

For the benefit of anyone concerned who missed that edition of HT and can’t access the online postings of those letters, I reiterate the referrals to www.wmrasasc.org.uk and www.theglade.org.uk for more information and to get help.

Hereford city councillor Jeremy Milln has previously expressed deep concern about Hereford City Council’s low priority for CCTV, leaving the county council to pick up the full £211,000 tab for CCTV in the few places where it operates, including the £62,500 ‘saving’ for the City Council. Jeremy noted: “The sudden decision to axe the long-standing CCTV funding contribution from the city council was made by a majority of Lib Dems outvoting the Greens and Independents.”

Leaving aside the party political considerations, what was the gender balance of the key decision-makers?

Sexual assaults are likely to relate to abuse of power issues. I recall reading in an international disability publication over 40 years ago that sexual assaults against disabled people were all too common on that account.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

I would also point out that I survived a mugging on Hampstead Heath near my then London home while using it as a shortcut to get to a meeting at which I was due to take minutes, on a night when the usual athletic track floodlighting was off and rain would have deterred the presence of prospective witnesses.

That was at the end of a long afternoon of walking in far less familiar parts that had drained my strength for a moonless night. I attribute with my escape just a puffed lip and a little shock partly to luck, and partly to the fact that singing exercises had given me something with which to deter my much younger attackers from staying too long on my case.

ALAN WHEATLEY

Hereford