A recent survey of Surrey residents has revealed that 1 in 4 women (and 1 in 5 men) have experienced street harassment or unwelcome attention in the last 12 months, as Surrey partners come together to call for a STOP to harassment.
The representative survey, conducted by YouGov, also found that 47% of all five hundred respondents were not confident in stepping in if they witnessed street harassment*.
Earlier this year a new strategy was launched by partners across Surrey to boost collective efforts to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Surrey.
As part of this commitment to keep women and girls safe, a preventative street harassment campaign has launched in Surrey. The campaign will take it’s messaging and share digital assets from The Home Office ‘Enough’ campaign that highlights different forms of violence against women and girls and the simple acts that anyone can take to challenge perpetrators of abuse. The Surrey activity will look to build confidence amongst residents that they can action take if they ever witness harassment (if it’s safe to do so).
The campaign highlights four ways residents can intervene safely, aligning with the acronym ‘STOP’:
Say Something:
You can show your disapproval at what is going on by, for example, not laughing and saying, ‘I don’t think that’s funny’. Or you could be more direct, if you feel it’s safe to do so, by saying it’s unacceptable and tell them to stop.
Tell someone:
You could tell someone in charge, like the bar staff if you’re in a pub or club, Human Resources (HR) if you’re at work, or the train guard or bus driver if you’re on public transport.
Offer to help:
You can ask the victim if they’re OK. You could capture what’s happening on your phone and ask if they want the footage to report the incident, and you could offer to help report it. You could also help others already giving support.
Provide a distraction:
Sometimes what’s best in the moment is creating a distraction, giving the person being targeted a chance to move away or giving others the opportunity to get help. You could strike up conversation with the victim, e.g. ask for directions, or where the next stop is on the bus, or pretend you know them.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness of how men can be encouraged to challenge the behaviour of their peers/friends/families and colleagues in order to advocate and support woman and girls.
Additionally, Surrey residents are being offered free online bystander anti-harassment training delivered by The Suzy Lamplugh Foundation focused on empowering people to know what to do if they witness harassment. Free places are available to book online now.
The launch follows the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked as White Ribbon Day, on the 25th November. This is followed by 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
The Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris MP, said: “Sexual harassment and abuse principally affects women but it is not a women’s issue. Men have a vital role to play in bringing it down, and I am pleased that Surrey County Council is supportive the Home Office’s objectives in this regard”.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Surrey County Council, Denise Turner-Stewart, said: “Ensuring women and girls feel safe and are safe in Surrey’s communities is our shared responsibility. No one should live in fear of harassment in their daily lives. We recognise that street harassment underpins a culture that leads to violence against women and girls, this stops now. We must work together and act to disrupt harmful behaviour and support those impacted, on our streets, in our workplaces, and our everyday lives. When we stand together, our message becomes stronger, it’s time to ‘STOP’.”
CEO RASASC (Rape and Sexual Assault Support Centre), Daisy Anderson, said: “Abuse in all its forms, whether physical, sexual, emotional, or financial, affects everybody and should have no place in our society. We have to feel empowered to act and stand up to protect those affected. The more we band together, the louder our voices become. It’s time to stand up and say ‘enough.”
If you have been affected by or a victim of harassment, help and support is available:
- Report safety concerns in public places without giving us your name (anonymously) StreetSafe | Surrey Police
- Please note: StreetSafe is not for reporting crimes or emergencies. If you witness a crime or emergency, please call the police on 101 or report a crime online. If you think someone is in immediate danger, call 999
- Surrey domestic abuse helpline 01483 776822 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week
- Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre helpline 01483 546400 7:30pm to 9:30pm Monday to Thursday
- Report anonymously – crime stoppers
- Suzy Lamplugh Trust
- NSPCC – Childline
Further information:
- Surrey Partnership VAWG Strategy Surrey Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2023-2025 | Healthy Surrey
- Enough STOP campaign Help stop it | ENOUGH
- Domestic Abuse advice, help and support Surrey Against Domestic Abuse | Healthy Surrey
- Find out how Surrey is supporting this years’ White Ribbon campaign 2023 White Ribbon | Healthy Surrey
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 501 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 27th October – 1st November 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Surrey adults (aged 18+).