Use of technology to boost women's safety hailed by Wiltshire charity
Police are using drones to spot offenders before a crime is committed
A Wiltshire charity supporting women's safety says it's pleased to see Police using technology proactively.
Officers across the county are using drones to monitor public spaces, allowing them to intervene should a suspected sexual offender be identified.
The Force says it's aiming to make the county "hostile to sexual predators".
FearFree, which runs a Sexual Violence Service, said it's a "promising" step in how Police are tackling violence against women.
Senior Practitioner, Dione Mitchell, told us: "This kind of approach of targeting potential predators and protect potential victims rather than expecting women to change their behaviour to stay safe reflects a real modern approach to public safety."
She added that through their daily work with survivors, it makes a huge difference that officers are proactively trying to prevent trauma, rather than reacting to something that has already happened.
Dione said she's hopeful that the presence of drones can provide an extra layer of reassurance for women in public spaces, allowing them the freedom to go out, rather than changing their behaviour or even staying at home.
"It's knowing that not only just for myself and other women like me, but also my clients, that responding to those potential threats is giving women a sense of confidence and security in our communities and going out and about and enjoying our space," she told us.
The use of drones is part of Operation Vigilant, which aims to spot predatory behaviour and intercept offenders before a crime can be committed. It works alongside other initiatives aiming to keep women safe.
Dione said the joined-up approach is vital.
"Without working together, we aren't going to fix what we want to solve, we aren't going to prevent those things happening. We're also not going to be able to take action and hold each other accountable," she said.
She's also hoping that it boosts the confidence of women to report incidents to police.
"Many survivors are hesitant to come forward due to the fear and the shame and negative past experiences with authorities," she said. "Having the second layer of protection, that footage from the drone, is really important. It can really empower survivors to come forward and make reporting feel safer."