Patrols target offenders to support safer night out for women

Norfolk Police are launching a pilot project on White Ribbon Day (November 25) to detect and disrupt sexual violence in the night time economy by targeting predatory behaviour towards women and girls.

Uniformed and plain-clothes officers who are trained to spot suspicious patterns of behaviour will be patrolling in Norwich within night-time economy areas as part of Project Vigilant.

The patrols, which will not be announced ahead of time so as not to alert perpetrators, will take place in the coming months during darker nights in the lead up Christmas and beyond.

White Ribbon Day 2024 highlights how harmful masculine traits are the root of violence against women and girls and it’s crucial to address attitudes and behaviours which contribute.

The Project Vigilant approach is focused on those who behave inappropriately, such as harassment, cat-calling and serious sexual offences often targeted at women who are vulnerable. More traditional campaigns have highlighted the responsibility of victims to stay safe, however this will be a more perpetrator focused initiative. 

Officer training is ongoing and a number of officers are already fully trained and operational to conduct the tactic.

Norwich Chief Inspector Edward Brown, said: “We are piloting the project which will place the focus on those committing offences in the night time economy and protecting women and girls.

“As party season means more people want to go out and enjoy a night out in Norwich we want to provide reassurance and call-out inappropriate behaviours which lead to women feeling unsafe.

“We would also urge staff at venues and the public to report behaviours such has harassment to the police.”

Sergeant Gary Owen, who is managing the project operationally, said: “This project allows us to observe the behaviour of people and pick up on behaviours and actions which may look suspicious.

“Our plain clothes officers are trained to notice potentially harmful behaviours and can then pass the information to our uniformed colleagues to follow up. By using these different skills, perpetrators are more likely to be identified and caught in the act.

“Officers can engage in a conversation, give words of advice or take positive actions such as removing that person from the nighttime economy through a banning order or through arrest.”

The operation links into our force priorities to reduce violence against women and girls and with our wider partnership work. For example, the Enough campaign encouraged people to be ‘active bystanders’ and call out inappropriate behaviours.