POLICING teams in Bath and North East Somerset took action to raise awareness of violence against women and girls while tackling the threat of sexual offences.

From December 2 to December 8, officers focused on initiatives to reduce sexual offences and support victims while promoting awareness of violence against women and girls.

Although crimes against women and girls, including harassment, are experienced all year round and in all settings, the darker evenings in December coupled with seasonal parties create optimal conditions for perpetrators.

The seven days of action, which also prioritised supporting victims and vulnerable members of the public, resulted in:

Activity included the roll-out of Project Vigilant, an initiative Avon and Somerset Police are currently piloting that takes a perpetrator-focused approach to preventing sexual violence.

Adopting Thames Valley Police’s strategy, plain-clothed officers receive specialist training in covert policing to patrol outside bars, clubs and pubs and spot signs of predatory behaviour. If these behaviours are observed, uniformed officers intervene before the individual commits an offence.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew joined Vigilant-trained officers on the evening of Friday, December 6, to support their efforts. She also met with Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Wera Hobhouse, to discuss the pilot and the constabulary’s ongoing work to combat VAWG across the force.

In the early hours of Saturday, December 7, a Project Vigilant deployment identified a man loitering and making inappropriate sexual comments. The covert officers on duty alerted uniformed colleagues who subsequently stopped, spoke to and arrested the suspect for public order and drunk and disorderly offences. A follow-up plan is now being put in place to address future offending.

Throughout the week, officers also visited licensed premises in the local area, providing advice and training on bystander intervention so staff can safely intervene where they suspect harassment.

Meanwhile, sessions were held at Bath College (both campuses), University of Bath and Bath Spa University to help students consider their personal safety and that of their friends while on a night out, reflect on their own behaviour, and learn how to be an effective bystander if they witness lewd or threatening behaviour. This includes the importance of male allyship – that is, men calling out other men who behave inappropriately.

Furthermore, neighbourhood teams organised pop-up ‘Walk and Talks’ in locations identified by community members as areas where they feel unsafe. These sessions were an opportunity to promote Avon and Somerset Police’s Walk and Talk scheme.

If you are a victim of sexual harassment or assault, or have witnessed inappropriate behaviour, it is important to come forward and report the incident.

You can either visit your local police station or report your experience online: Report harassment and stalking | Avon and Somerset Police (harassment and stalking); Report rape and sexual assault | Avon and Somerset Police (rape and sexual assault).