M&S, a safe space

If shops are serious they need to actively change things. So if you have 2 lifts make one women only or men allowed if accompanied by a woman ie with a woman partner. Most shoppers are women but they will not to anything that changes mens Behaviours because “it’s asking to much”. Meanwhile women everywhere will change where they go, how they act, how much risk they take as a matter of course.

We have a programme where I live called “safe places”

Those taking part (shops and businesses) have a sticker in the window using words and easy read symbols.

It was introduced for those people with Autism and Learning Disabilities by a local Day Service in conjunction with Social Services.

Staff in participating shops etc were given a bit of training.

Perhaps M&S have joined a similar scheme?

It's quite meaningless as surely most people who felt unsafe who were right by a shop would probably go inside the shop anyway! I know I would, if I was being followed or something I would go into the first shop, pub, cafe etc I came to and linger there whilst calling dh or someone else to come and meet me.

Isn't this just dumping responsibility on the (anticipated) female victims of male violence?
I've been into M&S and men are allowed into the changing rooms that were the preserve for women only. At my local M&S, this is also the case for where women get measured up for bras. There's only a curtain for privacy, and whoever does the interiors for these places picks the flimsiest fabrics that aren't very opaque.
Perhaps they think it makes them look as though they are current with their thinking, but it does smack of desperation.

Fucking hypocrites. I have bought anything from them since the opened the female changing room to males and let the 🤢 reviews from men about frilly knickers stay on their website
Tesco have done similar yet they promoted Jane Fae who wants no limits to violent sex

That said, I did tell my children to find a woman shop worker if they felt unsafe in their younger days or were lost. That based on the grounds that a person they chose to approach, who was a woman and working in a shop was unlikely to be a murderous psychopath or sex offender.

I can’t help but think there’s not much opportunity to hover around the polyester dresses when you feel you are being followed at 3am, after a nightclub closes.

Aren't kept safe themselves

Yy oh

As if that poor young Saturday worker would actually have any idea what to do or any chance against whoever they were being asked to help to hide from.

The staff are at as much risk , I work I retail I've had my share of aggressive/ creepy customers , the public can be dicks.

The staff aren't kept themselves and now they wanna throw them to the wolves so management look good..

Ridiculous!

So poor Maureen on the tills now has to look after people as well as her other minimum-wage duties?

Setting aside the changing room issue that is specific to M&S, I loathe these kind of messages. Corporate bandwagon jumping (I saw Tesco doing the same). You can just imagine themselves patting each other on the back for being so supportive to the poor scared women🙄. Another tick in the CSR box for the Annual Report.

Badly judged and badly timed.

I havent shopped there for about 2 years due to the changing rooms/ reviews on website issues.

I'm sure they're devastated by my action.

They're banking of course on the majority of their staff being women (who other women can then trust).

Well it's nice to know they've definitely vetted all their staff and can promise they're all more reliable than the local police.

All of the major retailers have issued something similar, saying women can take refuge inside stores, ask a colleague to walk them to their car or wait for a friend inside. We shouldn’t need to have to do this!

Agree with all the above. Take a good look at every sex offender who has their photo published in the press - and know that they only have to say the "I self identify" words and this business will welcome them into their lingerie changing rooms.
The ultimate hypocrisy.

I thought they'd told baroness Nicholson that they'd reversed their decision on changing rooms?

truly pathetic virtue signalling. Inside a shop is that last place I'd going I felt unsafe, especially one that welcomes men in small confined cubicles in the women's changing areas. And aren't we not supposed to be going shopping now unless for essentials like food?

When will retail actually start to research whether we really do want their bandwaggoning or their political opinions (which they give frequently)

They're just jumping on the bandwagon here aren't they? Desperate to let us know they've 'listened'.
Shame they don't 'listen' to the very valid concerns over women only changing rooms

I have a safe space. My home there r no men here. What I need is to be able to take my dds and know any fitting sessions won't be over heard by some bloke/male next door. Good job you are crap I guess and it's not such a huge loss.

If on the other hand you realise you have alienated your core market and want women to come back, you know what you have to do. And it goes beyond some meaningless words . How stupid do you think we are.

We won't be going anywhere while whoever we are hiding from can follow us right in.

What really?
Pre pandemic they were welcoming men into the lingerie changing room and allowed their website to become an expression of those views in their review section.
As for trained colleagues, they had stopped staffing the shop floor years ago.

On the other hand, unlimited free accommodation for any homeless person I guess. Spread the word!

Tbh I'd be more impressed if someone like mcdonalds did it. Open all hours and often in the parts of town you do tend to hurry through. We're a safe space (between the hours of 9-5 (10-4 on Sundays) and in out of town retail park) just sounds like bandwagon jumping to me.

No M and S near us so I had no idea they did not have women only changing rooms, the b**.tards. I am seething way after the event.