HOW to make Dunfermline safer for women and girls will be discussed during the launch of a new campaign.

Safe in the City - Fearless in Fife is a Kingdom-wide initiative which will begin in Dunfermline with a meeting to address what life is like in workplaces, school, college and other public places.

It will involve speakers and group discussions as well as stalls and displays about how to tackle the threats and abuse online, in the streets and behind closed doors.

Organiser Sue Hampson told the Press: "It's an issue that raises a lot of queries and a lot of fear for women in their lives, in their work, wherever they go.

"We felt that it was really important to highlight the experience of women and young girls, what it is like.

"Particularly because Dunfermline is a city now we thought it was an apt time to actually think about what it is like to live here.

"We thought it was really important to consider what it's like at school now for women and young girls, what it's like when you're walking home.

"Every woman I think if we go out at night and have to come home on our own we have to think about how we get home.

"Every single woman has said that, that they have to think of a lift, or a taxi, but nobody feels particularly less anxious about going home on their own.

"They walk in the middle of the road or with their keys in their hands or pretend they're on their phone.

"Isn't that so wrong? That isn't something that men or boys have to do."

The project is being supported by the Scottish TUC Safe Home Campaign, Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre (FRASAC), the Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project (KASP) and Labour Women in Fife.

It will also be mentioned on the match day programme at East End Park on September 23 as men are encouraged to join the conversation.

Sue added: "We're not saying that men and boys don't get attacked - they do - but predominately it's women that get attacked or have to consider it.

"We need to get men on board with this because it is men predominantly who assault or harass women.

"We don't want it just to be a women's meeting, we want men to come along."

She hopes that the meeting will uncover what women think Dunfermline could benefit from - this could be something like better street lighting or other practical ways to make the city safer.

"We wanted to talk to and find out from women and girls in Dunfermline particularly at the moment at this meeting what it's like, what their experience of going home is, or in school how sexually harassed they feel, at college or work as well," she said.

"Also in public places, in the park, in the Glen.

"I am a therapist and work with people who have faced trauma of some kinds.

"The number of people I have worked with who have been assaulted in the Glen is phenomenal.

"A lot of those women, because of the justice system or because of circumstances don't want to talk about it, don't want to come forward.

"It's these kinds of issues which we thought were really important."

These ideas will then be taken to authorities such as Fife Council or to other policy makers and politicians.

Sue said: "We don't think we are going to change the world in just one meeting, everything is a process but I think one of the things I am really aware of in the work I do is that it's a huge public health issue.

"If people are subject to assault or abuse or domestic abuse they actually are quite often physically or mentally ill and not able to go to work or school."

The Safe In The City - Fearless in Fife meeting will take place on September 24 in the Glen Pavilion between 2pm and 4 pm.