Latest news with #SuzyLamplughTrust
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Park staff trained to tackle harassment of women
Park staff across London are being trained to spot and respond to harassment, as part of a new drive to make green spaces safer for women and girls. The training, developed by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the University of Leeds, will give staff the tools to step in when they see inappropriate behaviour. Members of the public can also sign up for the course. Campaigners say many women avoid parks, especially after dark, due to safety concerns. The charity which campaigns against stalking and harassment is also calling for better lighting, more staff, and for women to have a say in how parks are designed. "The kinds of behaviours this training would assist with include inappropriate comments, gestures, cat calling or even unwanted touching," said Saskia Garner from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. "Someone sitting down next to you on a bench and putting their arm around you – anything that makes you feel unsafe is not OK." Ms Garner added that many people want to help but are unsure how to act safely. "You wouldn't go in a park by yourself after dark or even with one other person because it doesn't feel safe," one woman told BBC London in the Regent's Park. Another added: "[Parks aren't] not very well lit... in the one where I live there are no street lamps." The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, set up after the 1986 disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, works to reduce violence and harassment through training and support. "People don't feel they can intervene," Ms Garner said. "They worry about making things worse. The women we spoke to said they didn't feel safe to challenge the harassment and didn't think anyone would help them." Violence against women and girls 'endemic' Most women feel unsafe in parks, research finds Park staff trained in handling harassment cases The scheme encourages the idea of "active bystanders" – people who feel confident to intervene without putting themselves at risk. "This training gives people safe tools to step in. Whether by distracting someone or helping to report what's happened. But it always prioritises your safety and what's right for that moment," Ms Garner added. Posters will soon appear in parks and community centres across London, encouraging people to sign up. Dr Anna Barker, from the University of Leeds, said: "We want to build a community of active bystanders… so people feel more confident and connected, and better able to act when they see harassment." The training is being rolled out using Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Award network across England and Wales, the University of Leeds said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Suzy Lamplugh Trust Keep Britain Tidy - Green Flag Award
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Park staff trained to tackle harassment of women
Park staff across London are being trained to spot and respond to harassment, as part of a new drive to make green spaces safer for women and girls. The training, developed by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the University of Leeds, will give staff the tools to step in when they see inappropriate behaviour. Members of the public can also sign up for the course. Campaigners say many women avoid parks, especially after dark, due to safety concerns. The charity which campaigns against stalking and harassment is also calling for better lighting, more staff, and for women to have a say in how parks are designed. "The kinds of behaviours this training would assist with include inappropriate comments, gestures, cat calling or even unwanted touching," said Saskia Garner from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. "Someone sitting down next to you on a bench and putting their arm around you – anything that makes you feel unsafe is not OK." Ms Garner added that many people want to help but are unsure how to act safely. "You wouldn't go in a park by yourself after dark or even with one other person because it doesn't feel safe," one woman told BBC London in the Regent's Park. Another added: "[Parks aren't] not very well lit... in the one where I live there are no street lamps." The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, set up after the 1986 disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, works to reduce violence and harassment through training and support. "People don't feel they can intervene," Ms Garner said. "They worry about making things worse. The women we spoke to said they didn't feel safe to challenge the harassment and didn't think anyone would help them." Violence against women and girls 'endemic' Most women feel unsafe in parks, research finds Park staff trained in handling harassment cases The scheme encourages the idea of "active bystanders" – people who feel confident to intervene without putting themselves at risk. "This training gives people safe tools to step in. Whether by distracting someone or helping to report what's happened. But it always prioritises your safety and what's right for that moment," Ms Garner added. Posters will soon appear in parks and community centres across London, encouraging people to sign up. Dr Anna Barker, from the University of Leeds, said: "We want to build a community of active bystanders… so people feel more confident and connected, and better able to act when they see harassment." The training is being rolled out using Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Award network across England and Wales, the University of Leeds said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Suzy Lamplugh Trust Keep Britain Tidy - Green Flag Award
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
London park staff trained to tackle harassment of women
Park staff across London are being trained to spot and respond to harassment, as part of a new drive to make green spaces safer for women and training, developed by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the University of Leeds, will give staff the tools to step in when they see inappropriate behaviour. Members of the public can also sign up for the say many women avoid parks, especially after dark, due to safety charity which campaigns against stalking and harassment is also calling for better lighting, more staff, and for women to have a say in how parks are designed. "The kinds of behaviours this training would assist with include inappropriate comments, gestures, cat calling or even unwanted touching," said Saskia Garner from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust."Someone sitting down next to you on a bench and putting their arm around you – anything that makes you feel unsafe is not OK."Ms Garner added that many people want to help but are unsure how to act safely. "You wouldn't go in a park by yourself after dark or even with one other person because it doesn't feel safe," one woman told BBC London in the Regent's added: "[Parks aren't] not very well lit... in the one where I live there are no street lamps."The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, set up after the 1986 disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, works to reduce violence and harassment through training and support."People don't feel they can intervene," Ms Garner said."They worry about making things worse. The women we spoke to said they didn't feel safe to challenge the harassment and didn't think anyone would help them." The scheme encourages the idea of "active bystanders" – people who feel confident to intervene without putting themselves at risk."This training gives people safe tools to step in. Whether by distracting someone or helping to report what's happened. But it always prioritises your safety and what's right for that moment," Ms Garner will soon appear in parks and community centres across London, encouraging people to sign Anna Barker, from the University of Leeds, said: "We want to build a community of active bystanders… so people feel more confident and connected, and better able to act when they see harassment."The training is being rolled out using Keep Britain Tidy's Green Flag Award network across England and Wales, the University of Leeds said.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Cheshire Police harnessing AI to help officers catch stalkers
Cheshire Police has become the first force in the UK to use artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool during stalking investigations. The force hopes the technology will identify suspects' patterns of behaviours at a much earlier Ch Insp Danielle Knox, who leads its stalking unit, said that while AI would never "replace the human element", it would instead "enhance" what officers currently do."We have ethics committees and checks and balances in place to make sure the algorithms work in the way we want them to," she said. Currently officers in the county's Harm Reduction Unit (HRU), which investigates stalking and harassment allegations, review evidence unit typically deals with 10 cases of stalking each day. The force believes AI can analyse incident reports while alleged victims are still talking with police call information provided by the force's HRU and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the algorithm will be "trained" to help detectives identify stalking aim is for the technology to be smart enough to flag up potential cases of stalking regardless of whether the word "stalking" is actually mentioned by victims or witnesses. 'Sifting through data' Cheshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Dan Price said he was confident the technology would "speed up investigations". He applied for £300,000 from the Police STAR (Science, Technology, Analysis and Research) Fund to pay for the new than teams of people "sifting through layers" of data, he said AI could identify patterns and behaviours and "build cases" at a much earlier said that where AI had been used to investigate different crimes in other parts of the country, it had been "25 times more effective than an individual detective".Currently three-quarters of cases which are dealt with by the HRU conclude with a suspect being is confident the technology will lead to even more convictions and "give victims more protection, faster". One victim, who the BBC has agreed to refer to as Amy because she remains fearful of her stalker, said she believed AI technology could have ended her ordeal said she was the victim of a prolonged campaign of harassment by someone she said it grew "in intensity" over time and she was harassed at work, received frightening phone calls at home, and was abused who has now returned to work but says she still suffers from the trauma of what happened to her, said the stalking culminated in her being violently assaulted."While no-one could have predicted a violent assault, what could've been picked up were elements of harassing behaviour," Amy told BBC News."Had things been picked up sooner, who knows? Things could potentially have been prevented." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. "Anything that allows these specialist people in their different roles to support victims is certainly something I would advocate," said who has now returned to work, said she still suffered from the trauma of what her stalker did to her. She said she finds it difficult to leave the house and form new work relationships."While no-one could have predicted a violent assault, what could've been picked up were elements of harassing behaviour," she said. "Had things been picked up sooner, who knows? Things could potentially have been prevented."If the programme is successful in Cheshire, it could be rolled out nationally by other polices forces.
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Terrifying interactive map shows England and Wales' stalking hotspots - how common is it where you live?
Younger people, particularly younger women and girls, are more likely to victims of stalking in the UK - with one area topping the list for the most number of offences A terrifying new map has revealed all of the UK's major hotspots for stalking - with one in seven people aged over 16 found to have been stalked at least once. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, an estimated one in five women and one in 11 men aged 16 and over have been stalked - and our interactive map shows how common the traumatising crime is in your area. Stalking is defined as two or more incidents causing distress, fear, or alarm to those on the recieving end. It may involve being sent an obscene or threatening message or phone call, having obscene or threatening information about you placed on the internet, being followed and watched, or someone loitering around your home or workplace. Younger people, particularly younger women and girls, are more likely to fall victim to stalking in the UK. Stalking is alarmingly common - and the numbers are rising. In the past year alone, one in ten girls and young women aged 16 to 19 were targeted, along with one in 15 young men. Yet the full scale of the crisis may be far worse than official data suggests. Police recorded over 600,000 stalking and harassment offences in the year to September 2024 - but many victims never come forward. And new figures reveal it's not happening evenly across the country. Bradford tops the list, with police logging nearly 12,000 (11,998) offences last year - the equivalent of 22 for every 1,000 residents, the highest rate in England and Wales. Kingston-upon-Hull and North East Lincolnshire followed closely behind, with 21 per 1,000 people. Other hotspots include Blaenau Gwent in Wales, Blackpool, Calderdale, and Wakefield. With the exception of Blaenau Gwent, all of the ten worst-affected areas are in the north, exposing a stark north-south divide. The findings come during National Stalking Awareness Week, which shines a spotlight on the long-term damage stalking inflicts. According to research from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, 95% of victims suffer psychological or mental health effects - and 78% report symptoms linked to PTSD. Despite this, just 24% were ever assessed for the condition. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was set up after the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in 1986, who is believed to have been murdered by a stalker. The same research highlights a gaping hole in support. A series of FOI requests found that none of England's 41 responding NHS Integrated Care Boards offered services specifically for stalking victims or had trained staff to identify or support them. Only 7% of healthcare professionals said they felt confident spotting a stalking victim, and a staggering 85% had no idea where to refer them for help. Campaigners say urgent action is needed to close these gaps - and give victims the protection, recognition, and support they desperately need. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust - which delivers training in stalking awareness and support to a range of frontline professionals - has launched a campaign called 'Health Response: Spotting Stalking' to inform health professionals that specialist stalking services are available to help them identify and support stalking victims. The National Stalking Consortium, which includes the Trust, is also calling on the government to provide extra funding to provide more support for stalking victims and produce a coordinated 'whole health' response to stalking. Suky Bhaker, CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, said: 'Stalking has far-reaching effects on victims' health, but healthcare professionals lack the training and resources to identify it. We are calling on the government to provide the necessary resources to ensure that healthcare professionals can effectively support victims and work with specialist stalking services to better spot stalking amongst their patients and colleagues.' Daniel W. Price-Jones, Lead Consultant Forensic Psychologist, Cheshire Constabulary's Harm Reduction Unit, said: 'The cumulative impact of stalking over time is both persistent and pervasive; it impacts on all areas of the victim's life. For many reasons, victims of stalking don't report to the police until many incidents have occurred - if they report at all. Healthcare professionals are often the first point of contact victims may have with services, which provides professionals with an early opportunity to intervene, help, guide, and support. It is vital that healthcare professionals are confident in identifying stalking and referring to specialist support.'
