Avon and Somerset Police – New internal support model for victims/survivors & witnesses of harassment and sexual misconduct
LimeCulture began working with Chief Constable Sarah Crew (as the national Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Lead) and Avon and Somerset Constabulary in the wake of the death of Sarah Everard to develop a new internal model of prevention of and response to sexual misconduct within Policing, driving a whole-Force approach to tackling this issue within their own ranks.
The model developed in Avon and Somerset, which aligns with the recommendations from the Angiolini Inquiry, embeds specialist internal support (Specialist Liaison Officers) for victims/survivors of sexual violence who are Police officers and Police staff, improving the understanding of and management of risk, and providing opportunities for offers and staff to confidentially seek support and/or raise concerns about inappropriate behaviours or attitudes of colleagues. The service was launched in Avon and Somerset in June 2024, and is currently being rolled out across the Constabulary.
The model, supported by a wider Safer Cultures programme of work, is now being implemented in another Police Force Area.