Message Sent By: Lancashire News (Police, Lancashire Constabulary, Headquarters)
Today, I launch the Your Voice Matters survey asking women and girls about their thoughts on personal safety.
You can take part in the survey here.
I’d also encourage you to share this message across social media and with your family and friends to give as many women and girls the opportunity to make their voice heard.
The survey aims to understand the experiences of women and girls across the county. The responses will then be anonymously analysed by UCLAN to inform Lancashire’s policing response to violence against women and girls.
Violence against women and girls is unacceptable and I echo the Government’s commitment to tackling the many and varied crimes of violence against women and girls.
To inform our response to the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, I want to understand the thoughts and feelings of women and girls in Lancashire about their safety.
I am committed to listening to and acting upon the results of the survey. Some of the results may make for uncomfortable reading for us and our partners, but I personally want to ensure we are doing the best we can to keep people safe, support victims and survivors and make changes where they are needed”.
Although feeling unsafe is not exclusive to women, sexual violence and harassment offences are overwhelmingly committed by males against females.
However, I would like to reassure male victims and survivors that we take all reports of crime seriously. Anybody who has experienced this type of crime (whether recently or in the past) is encouraged to come forward to report it, safe in the knowledge they will always be treated sensitively and professionally.
The Your Voice Matters survey, which is completely anonymous, is available now until Friday 10th December. It can be completed by visiting: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Your_Voice_Matters_2021
If you or somebody you know has been the victim of a crime, you can receive free and confidential support from Lancashire Victims Services. Visit their website at https://lancashirevictimservices.org/
Yours sincerely, Chris Rowley Chief Constabulary