The opinions of women and girls will be sought on how to improve the safety of public spaces across London as part of a multimillion-pound fund aimed at tackling violence and misogyny.

They will form community research teams and help to audit parks and public spaces, with potential suggestions likely to include improved CCTV, better lighting, and re-designing paths to remove blind spots, in plans unveiled by the Mayor of London.

Local authorities across the capital will be able to apply for a share of £15.6 million, in what Lord Sadiq Khan described as “a first-ever new fund that will see us work with women and girls to help transform public spaces across our capital”.

It is part of an overall investment of more than £37 million to tackle violence against women and girls (Vawg) which is aimed at “addressing its root causes and supporting victims”, Lord Khan said.

The total funding also includes a previously announced £1 million package of measures to support boys and young men across the capital, as Lord Khan warned that online misogyny risks “a lost generation of young men” and branded so-called manosphere influencers “snake oil salesmen” who take advantage of young men.

The campaign “targets young men and boys to role-model positive attitudes and promote positive opportunities and behaviours”, with investment in educational programmes to promote respect and equality

Meanwhile, £6 million will go towards tackling a rise in technology-enabled abuse, involving mobile phones, social media and other devices such as doorbell cameras being used to target women and girls and exacerbate controlling behaviour within domestic abuse situations.

Another £6 million will enable thousands of Vawg victims and survivors to access legal advice, counselling and other support services, while £2.4 million will support those affected by child sexual exploitation (CSE) and grooming gangs.

Lord Khan, who said he has overseen investment of £318 million since he took office in 2016 to tackle Vawg, vowed he wanted “to make every woman and girl in London safer – and feel safer – in our city”.

He said: “We have seen real progress from this work, but the epidemic of violence against women and girls is a global disgrace that shames us all. What so many women and girls have had to endure and continue to endure is unacceptable and every aspect of society has a part to play in changing this.

“That’s why I have launched a new strategy to accelerate our efforts and adapt to the changing threats that women face online, at home and on our streets. This includes a first-ever new fund that will see us work with women and girls to help transform public spaces across our capital.

“By giving a voice to women and girls who know their local areas best, we can work with local authorities to make these spaces safer and more welcoming at all times of day.

“Despite the challenges, Vawg truly is preventable and I am committed to working with the Government, the Met, charities, as well as local, national and global partners, to ensure that every woman and girl can participate fully in the life of our great city, without experiencing or fearing harassment, abuse or violence.”

London’s Victims Commissioner, Andrea Simon, said: “London needs this holistic and ambitious vision for tackling violence against women and girls (Vawg), and I am pleased that the strategy acknowledges how important specialist support is for victims’ recovery, as well as having a focus on preventing the spread of harmful misogynistic attitudes and responding to the growing scale of technology-facilitated abuse.”

Nahar Choudhury, chief executive of Solace, said the strategy “rightly recognises that supporting survivors means addressing the wide range of factors contributing to violence against women and girls”.

She added: “We’re especially heartened to see dedicated investment in work to challenge the manosphere and engage boys and young men as part of the solution, as well as specialist services supporting girls and young women.”