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Mayor backs 'proactive' project to keep women safe

Jack Conlonand
Jessica Bayley,Yorkshire
News imageWest Yorkshire Police Two uniformed police officers walk through a city street at night. They have their backs to the camera. They are both wearing black trousers, hi-vis vests with jackets and black hats. There is a road to their right and a row of shops to their left.West Yorkshire Police
Uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be deployed in targeted areas as part of Project Vigilant

A West Yorkshire Police scheme cracking down on attacks against women aims to "make sure vulnerable women are protected", the region's mayor said.

Project Vigilant is designed to stop sexual violence by identifying and disrupting concerning behaviour before a crime is committed.

Uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be deployed in targeted city centre areas, working with venues, transport providers and taxi drivers to identify issues and share information.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "Quite frankly, if you're a predator and you think it's easy pickings here in West Yorkshire, you've got another thing coming."

She said: "What I don't want to do is keep mopping up after the event has happened and a woman has gone through a terrible crisis - we need to pinpoint and identify those perpetrators."

As part of the initiative, specialist training has been delivered to officers, focused on identifying the warning signs that someone may be targeting or harassing others.

Frontline workers including bar staff, door supervisors and public transport workers have also been trained to recognise predatory behaviour.

This can include following individuals, making inappropriate sexual comments and attempting to isolate someone who may be at risk.

News imageBBC/Jessica Bayley A headshot of Supt Phil Coward of West Yorkshire Police. He is smiling at the camera, wearing a black police uniform and hat. He is stood on a city centre street at night, with two street lamps lit up over his left shoulder.BBC/Jessica Bayley
Supt Phil Coward says he hopes the project will help "reassure" women in West Yorkshire

Supt Phil Coward, West Yorkshire Police lead for violence against women and girls, said the project was an example of "proactive policing".

"The strength of Project Vigilant is that it's a shared responsibility, so we can take action at the earliest opportunity," he said.

"It's for reassurance, to make sure people know we're making it a hostile environment for anyone who wants to target women and girls."

Police say that in the last 12 months, 80% of sexual assault victims in West Yorkshire were women, while 91% of offenders were male.

Evie, 20, who works late shifts in Leeds, said she avoided walking home by herself when possible.

"I usually either get a lift or a taxi. I never feel too safe when I'm walking around - it's mainly students and drunk people, so I never feel secure around them."

News imageBBC/Jessica Bayley A headshot of Jessica, 28, who lives in Leeds. She is smiling at the camera, wearing a black and white checked coat and a black rucksack. She has black hair with a fringe.BBC/Jessica Bayley
Jessica says she keeps a "heightened sense of awareness" when in the city centre at night

Jessica, 28, added: "There's a certain heightened sense of awareness that I need to keep, but in the same vein I don't feel like there is a consistent threat.

"It's more just that baseline preparedness that women constantly feel - being aware of noise, people approaching and clocking everything that is going on around you."

West Yorkshire Police said that more than 30 interventions were recorded in the project's first four weeks of deployment.

Supt Coward said: "Success to me would be making sure that people do feel safe in public spaces and that we're disrupting predatory behaviour and sexual offences."

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