When actors on a recent The Graham Norton Show laughed at how impractical using a mobile phone as a weapon of self-defence might be, Saoirse Ronan hit back, saying this was something “girls have to think about all the time – am I right, ladies?”. Her comment went viral. This time, the conversation needs to stay alive, not flare and disappear.

As the nights draw in, safety on streets and in public spaces always feels pressing – although, as the response to Ronan’s comment testifies, more than half of the UK’s population think about this all year round.

…