Extra weekend police patrols were carried out in Swindon as part of an operation to make people feel safer.
Project Vigilant was launched in Wiltshire, with the operations being carried out on a frequent basis to proactively prevent violence and sexual offences against women and girls, whilst also ensuring anyone of any gender can enjoy their night out in Wiltshire.
On Saturday night - 18 September - uniformed and plain clothed officers patrolled areas including Fleet Street, Wood Street and Hooper’s Place, to help provide reassurance for those out and about.
During the evening, officers, using guidance from the National Crime Agency, identified and spoke to five people about their behaviour, which was causing concern.
An 18-year-old man was arrested and given a caution for common assault.
Officers also spoke to door staff at venues to help build up an intelligence picture of ongoing issues within the night-time economy, as well as providing support to members of the public and venue staff who required help.
DCI Gemma Vinton, Wiltshire Police lead for Project Vigilant, was among the officers out on Saturday night.
She said: “It was a really successful evening and hopefully our presence not only provided reassurance for those out enjoying themselves but also acted as a deterrent for those intent on causing harm.
“With the interventions that were made, we were able to speak to them on the behaviour that caused us concerns.
“The reaction from both members of the public and venues on Saturday night was a really positive one.
“They were pleased to see us out and were engaging with us to make the night-time a safe place for people to enjoy bars, pubs and clubs.
“These extra patrols and police presence help us to not only get that message across that we are being proactive in protecting people, but also enables us to see who is in our towns and cities and ensure we can hold people to account if they are behaving in a way which is unacceptable.
“We want people to be able to go out and enjoy their night, keep doing what they normally do, safe in the knowledge that they shouldn’t be expected to change anything about the way they act or dress to prevent themselves becoming a victim of a sexual offence.
“Our focus is on potential perpetrators. Any form of sexual offence is an incredibly traumatic experience for the victim and it is key for us to try to stop that before it happens.”
Anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault, whether recently or in the past, is encouraged to contact Wiltshire Police.
They can report it online at https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101. People should always call 999 in an emergency or if a sexual assault has just occurred.
Anybody who feels uncomfortable on a night out in Wiltshire can also ‘Ask for Angela’ at participating venues where staff will be trained to offer support. More information can be found at - https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/1113/Ask-for-Angela
People can also use the Government’s online ‘StreetSafe’ tool to flag areas on a map where they don’t feel safe, from poorly lit walkways to places where harassment occurred, regardless of whether a crime has taken place. The website is https://www.police.uk/streetsafe
It's essential that regardless of what sort of assault has been carried out, survivors access help early. They can do this by contacting the Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) 24/7 on 01793 781 917.
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