Devon & Cornwall Police launch Project NightEye to prevent violence against women and girls
The initiative aims to make the night-time a hostile environment for men intent on harassment, or sexual or physical violence
Devon & Cornwall Police have launched Project NightEye to help combat violence against women and girls.
Working with the Police and Crime Commissioner, the policing approach aims to make the evening and night-time a hostile environment for men intent on harassment, or sexual or physical violence.
NightEye has been used in selected locations this summer, and learning from these deployments will be assessed and used to refine the project prior to it being used in even more locations across Devon and Cornwall.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Steve Parker said: "Everyone can help make public spaces safer by reporting suspicious or unacceptable behaviour to the police, so if you see something that doesn’t look right or makes you feel uncomfortable, please let us know through our online reporting forms, or submit anonymously though Crimestoppers.
"This helps Devon & Cornwall Police to target where and when Project NightEye is used."
"Behaviour will not be tolerated"
Project NightEye is supported by Devon & Cornwall’s Serious Violence Prevention Programme and specifically targets potential male perpetrators of violence against women and girls. The aim is to prevent sexual and other crimes by proactively identifying predatory sexual behaviour and intervening to prevent this escalating to an offence.
This could include groups or individual men, either on foot or in vehicles, loitering for no reason. It could include men making unwanted contact towards women, attempting to isolate women from their friends on a night out or making lewd or sexual comments. Local police officers actively work in collaboration with partners, such as venue and security staff to identify and target potential offenders.
One tactic used within Project NightEye is Project Vigilant, involving specially trained officers (either in plain clothes or uniform) patrolling outside bars and clubs, between specific times and in places identified to be more likely to have crimes reported. Thames Valley Police successfully trialled the Project Vigilant tactic in 2019 in Oxford - it showed a reduction in sexual offending of 30% and a reduction in rapes by 50%, in the evening and night-time economy. Devon & Cornwall Police is now looking to emulate this success.
To support Project NightEye, training has also been delivered to CCTV operators in identifying predatory sexual behaviour.
T/ACC Parker added: "With police, partners and the public working together, it is imperative that we call out, target and robustly manage criminal offending that disproportionately affects women and girls.
"Project NightEye sends out a clear message to predatory men that their behaviour will not be tolerated. Anyone out at night should be confident that Devon & Cornwall Police is targeting those who choose to harass or assault women or girls, and also men or boys."
The Police & Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, is committed to tackling the scourge of violence in our communities and that includes any form of violence against women and girls, whether in the home or in public places.
"Speaking out if something doesn't seem right"
She endorses the new tactic: “I have prioritised tackling violence in my Police & Crime Plan, particularly violence against women and girls, so I’m encouraging people to report concerns straightaway. This is about all of us speaking out if something doesn’t seem right and not turning a blind eye to harassment and violence. I want all women and girls to stay safe on a night out and feel confident that their safety is our concern”.
You can download the StreetSafe app on iPhone or Android and tell us anonymously where you don’t feel safe, or use StreetSafe online. |newtab)