Trained bus drivers could help VAWG campaign, say Cambridgeshire police
Stagecoach East is the latest firm to sign up to the police-led scheme
Last updated 18th Oct 2024
Cambridgeshire bus drivers are being taught how they can play a key role in tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Stagecoach East are the latest firm to sign up to Cambridgeshire Police's Businesses Against Abuse (BAA) scheme, which provides a safe space to victims.
The bus operator is one of more than 300 firms that have teamed up with the force to help tackle VAWG in the county.
Simon Woollard's a training officer at Stagecoach East:
"We feel our buses could be a safe space, so we have audio and CCTV, and we are rolling out training to all our drivers on how to react if they were to spot this kind of abuse," he said.
"If someone was distressed and flagging a bus down, we would ask that individual what they'd need from us.
"A bus is a big mobile CCTV; we would hope if they stepped onto our bus, that might put an end to any situation that's developing."
Under the BAA scheme, businesses are trained to recognise predatory behaviour, obtaining the relevant information to pass onto emergency services and dealing with situations involving vulnerable people.
If a woman or girl is in distress, Stagecoach says they can step on board a bus and be taken to a place of safety without having to pay.
More training can help "reduce offences"
Chief Inspector Ian Lombardo, from Cambridgeshire Police, hopes teaching more people about spotting the signs of abuse can tackle VAWG.
"We give them (bus drivers) skills and techniques as to how to spot predatory behaviour and then give them the context around the risk that behaviour could pose," he said.
"That gives them the courage to be able to use some simple techniques on how to safely intervene, should that be required.
"The more people we have trained in calling out predatory behaviour and stopping it early, hopefully I believe we will reduce offences being committed in the first place because they'll be challenged before an offence gets committed, and that reduces (the number of) victims."
An analysis of VAWG by the National Police Chiefs' Council and the College of Policing found violence against women and girls increased by 37% between 2018 and last year.
Norah Al-Ani, director at Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, hopes that the scheme will mean more suspects will think twice about their actions.
"Their drivers are trained to recognise predatory and abusive behaviour and to call it out," she said.
"That makes them (buses) feel more comfortable, public spaces to be in but sends a powerful message to people who might want to perpetrate those behaviours that they won't be welcome."