The family of a West Bridgford mother who died after being subjected to a “brutal attack” by her partner are urging women and girls to report areas where they feel most unsafe in Nottinghamshire.
The ongoing ‘Walk in My Shoes’ campaign invites women and girls across the county to have their say and complete an online survey to identify problem areas and help create a safer county.
“Women’s safety is hugely important,” said Tara’s Angels co-founder Bev Turner. “Tell it as it is, say what it is, say where it is that you feel unsafe.”
Tara Newbold, 29, was a mother of three who died at her West Bridgford home in 2016.
Her mother, Julie Dury, and aunt, Bev Turner, set up the non-profit organisation Tara’s Angels in her memory to raise awareness and provide women with security equipment.
Duane Ballin was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after he inflicted 37 separate injuries to Tara and received an extended 18-year prison sentence in 2018.
Bev said: “Our family lost Tara after a particularly brutal attack by her partner and a couple of years later we felt that we wanted to support other women who were in the same situation.
“Tara’s Angels supports this campaign so that women can be heard. I think it’s a really big step for Nottinghamshire Police to be listening to women.
“Our message is for women to come forward and complete this survey.
“It’s staggering to believe that in 2025 there are men out there on the streets behaving in such an abhorrent way.”
More than 2,600 women and girls have so far shared their experiences of unwanted behaviour from men, including harassment, staring, or being followed, which has made them feel uncomfortable.
Tara’s Angels are endorsing our campaign to help tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), which is one of the force’s key strategic objectives.
Police want to hear from as many women and girls as possible across the city and county about the areas they avoid and why and how they can be made safer.
They will then work with partner organisations, including councils, to assess how areas can be improved, where possible. This could include additional patrols, better lighting, or CCTV coverage.
“This affects women and girls every day – whether they’re going to school, college, work, coming home, or socialising. It’s a really important issue and women should be taken seriously,” Bev said.
As part of the campaign, police have partnered with Nottingham Forest Netball, community running group These Girls Run, and are working with domestic abuse charity Equation to help educate young people in schools.
Bev added: “Tara was a big part of our family. She had three children and their lives have changed dramatically. The trauma of knowing what happened to Tara has left a massive effect on us all.
“She was fun-loving, outgoing and kind. She was a really good mum and we love and miss her.”
Superintendent Heather Maelor, one of the leads for VAWG at our Prevention Hub, said:
“We receive calls from women and girls who are subjected to unwanted behaviour and abuse from men every day.
“To put a stop to this in Nottinghamshire, we want to hear what women and girls from across our city and county have experienced as part of our Walk in My Shoes campaign.
“We want to know the areas they feel the most unsafe so, where possible, we can come up with solutions collectively with our partners to make real change.
“VAWG is a national threat and we want to ensure that our residents and visitors feel as safe as possible when they are walking around Nottinghamshire.
“So please, complete our survey, tell us your views, and we will act where we can, to ensure you feel safer.”
