ALMOST half of the county’s women say they feel unsafe at night, a research project has found.

The study conducted by Essex County Council on women’s safety found 47 per cent of women questioned said they feel most unsafe at night in the county.

The survey also found 21 per cent of women felt unsafe in pubs, clubs and bars at night, with 45 per cent avoiding certain nightlife venues.

County Hall said its research, launched by the Safety Advisory Group, will continue amid a pledge to make Essex safer for women.

The survey remains open for both men and women to respond to and will help inform the group on future work.

Chairwoman of the Safety Advisory Group Louise McKinlay said: “We want all women to feel safe when out at night, and we hope this research will help us to understand how we can address the key challenges and issues faced.

“By inviting men to also take part in the research, we hope to better understand perceptions from their point of view too.

“We are pleased to be working with a very talented team from the University of Essex to conduct this research and I look forward to seeing what the research reveals.”