Mum of Libby Squire calling for education on non-contact sexual offences
The Mum of murdered Hull Uni student Libby Squire, is working with police for increased awareness of non-contact sexual offences
A new campaign aimed at raising awareness of non-contact sexual offences and improving their reporting has been launched by Lisa Squire, in collaboration with Thames Valley Police.
Lisa’s 21-year-old daughter, Libby from Wycombe, went missing in January 2019 before being raped and murdered by Pawel Relowicz, a man who had committed several non-contact sex crimes prior to the killing.
Relowicz was sentenced to at least 27 years in prison for the murder.
The campaign is focused on educating young people, particularly in schools and sixth forms, about recognising non-contact sexual offences and understanding the importance of reporting them. Lisa explains that many young women are unaware that such acts can be reported, often feeling they are not serious enough to take action. "Very few women actually report non-contact crimes," she said. "When I’ve been speaking to young women, they’ve said they didn’t realise they could, or they didn’t think it was important."
Non-contact sexual offences cover a wide range of behaviours, including voyeurism, upskirting, exposure, following someone, and catcalling. Lisa stresses that society has become too accustomed to accepting these behaviours as part of everyday life. "We need to be telling our young girls not to accept this, and also telling our young boys that it’s not acceptable," she added. "Normal men don’t go around doing these sorts of things, and there needs to be much more openness and discussion around the issue."
Lisa’s campaign also advocates for better treatment options for those convicted of non-contact sexual offences. Rather than solely focusing on punishment, she believes that therapy and rehabilitation should play a key role in preventing further offences. "I do think they need to be punished, but therapy is a much better idea because then they’re not around other sex offenders," she said. "Treatment can help them understand why they behave this way and hopefully stop them from escalating to more serious crimes."
One of the key goals of the campaign is to encourage the government to revise sentencing guidelines for non-contact sexual offences. Lisa is pushing for stronger sentences for offenders, as well as increased government support for the awareness campaign. "I am very keen to talk to several members of the new government. I’m hoping they will look at sentencing guidelines and support our campaign," she said.
Lisa has expressed frustration that despite ongoing discussions and increased media attention, progress has been slow. While she acknowledges that there has been more public awareness around reporting such crimes, she believes more needs to be done at a policy level. "From the government’s perspective, there haven’t been many changes," she said.
Her personal experience of losing Libby has driven Lisa’s commitment to this cause. Relowicz’s pattern of offending before Libby’s murder underscores the importance of addressing non-contact sexual crimes early. "If offenders like him were apprehended earlier, cases like Libby’s might never have happened," she said. Lisa believes that these early warning signs must be taken seriously by both law enforcement and the public to prevent more serious crimes.
The campaign also highlights the importance of a coordinated effort between the police and the public. Lisa emphasises that police can only take action if incidents are reported, encouraging women to speak up even if they feel their experiences are minor. "You might be just a small link in the chain, but eventually that person might go on to rape or murder somebody like my daughter," Lisa said. "It’s really important to report, even if you don’t think you have all the details."
As part of the campaign, Lisa hopes to create a lasting impact in memory of her daughter. “Libby is gone, and we can’t have her back, but she’s making a difference to other women through this work,” she said. "It’s almost like her death wasn’t in vain."
Through her collaboration with Thames Valley Police and her advocacy efforts, Lisa is determined to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy. Her message to young people, particularly university students, is to have fun and enjoy life, but to stay safe and look after one another. "Never leave a friend behind if they’re drunk," she advised. "Go out and have fun, but do it safely."