Hello

Last Saturday (25 November) marked White Ribbon Day. It was followed by 16 days of action and my office were granted White Ribbon Supporter Organisation status for our continued commitment to ending men’s violence against women and girls in Sussex.

For the past 11 years I have been supporting Sussex Police to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) and it remains a core priority in my Police and Crime Plan. You will be assured to know that our strategy also includes male victims and that my office commissions dedicated support for men too. You can find out more about our work on my website.

Sussex Police are seeking to hear about women and girls' lived experiences of VAWG to help them improve their policing response. If you would like to share your experience, you can do so online.

This survey does contain questions which some may find uncomfortable and distressing so, if you need additional support, please also visit Safe Space Sussex.

This week, my Immediate Justice (IJ) Taskforce have opened a second round of grant funding for potential service providers. The scheme is now fully functional in Brighton & Hove and has been the most successful so far of the 10 Immediate Justice pilots in place nationally, with over 40 cases managed to date across the county.

The second round of grant funding seeks to identify providers who have the capability and capacity to identify opportunities to deliver reparation in the community. Providers will liaise and communicate with offenders and victims as well as arrange and supervise suitable reparation activities that can repair damage, improve the environment and boost public confidence in policing.

The IJ Taskforce are welcoming applications from a broad range of providers - for example local youth services, community hubs and rehabilitation programmes. Find out more about this and how to apply on my website. Applications will close at 5pm on 22 December.

Seeking Special Constables

Sussex Police will shortly be opening recruitment for Special Constables and are hosting a webinar on Monday 4 December at 6.30pm for those interested in volunteering as a Special Constable.

The webinar offers you the chance to ask any questions you may have about becoming a Special Constable and you can also listen to our experts talk about the role in more detail before applying.

More information and how to register for the webinar can be found on the Sussex Police website.

Katy Bourne OBE

Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner