ESSEX Police are working with organisations across the county to tackle violence against women and girls in Essex.

This is a societal problem, and we know that we cannot address this issue alone, but we are working diligently to understand how we can help address this epidemic of violence. A force lead for tackling violence against women and girls has been appointed in Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Nolan. 

Over the past few months, she has been supported across the force to build on the joint work already underway with our partners to prevent the continuation of this violence, and looking internally to ensure any inappropriate behaviour within the force is being challenged correctly. Assistant Chief Constable Nolan said: “Essex Police is committed to tackling violence against women and girls. “The question is: how do we prevent this violence, which is so prevalent in our society?

We absolutely know that we cannot do it alone. That’s why we’re working so closely with other organisations in the county – like our local councils – to identify what can be done to prevent this behaviour from men, and to help women feel safer, particularly in public spaces.“We’re committed to disrupting this cycle of violence and protecting victims.

Whether it comes in the form of our work with the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse partnership board, our Domestic Abuse Problem Solving teams, who work with repeat victims and offenders to stop the cycle of abuse, or our Community Safety Engagement Officers, who are a key link between communities, partners and other policing teams.“

We know that there are some people who do not feel comfortable reporting crimes to the police, and it’s on us to gain and maintain your trust. We need to ensure that victims feel immediately supported when reporting a crime – whether that’s by the first officer they see at the scene, or the staff member they’re speaking to on the phone when they make a 999 or 101 call.“

If you’ve had a crime committed against you, we want to help deliver justice for you. Our officers are dedicated to protecting and serving the people of Essex, and we ensure that criminals are taken off your streets every day. “As Chief Constable Harrington said on White Ribbon Day, it’s crucial that men are actively involved in this movement and – where they need to – making changes in their own behaviour and challenging their loved ones, friends and colleagues. If you think this may apply to you, I’d encourage you to get involved, listen to the women around you, and have those difficult conversations with your male friends.

“We’re dedicated to protecting and serving the public of Essex – we are here to listen, so please contact us if you think we can help you.” If you need help, please call 999 in an emergency. If you’re in an unsafe situation and unable to speak when you connect to our call handler please dial 55.You can also call 101 to report non-emergency crime or report it online at https://www.essex.police.ukIf you need extra support and want to find out which charities, services, and networks operate in your area you can visit the SETDAB website at https://setdab.org