Staying Safe
This page provides an introduction to staying safe, offering practical advice to protect both yourself, your family and your possessions. It is important to remember that most crime is against property, not people, and that crime levels in Staffordshire are below the national average.
Personal Safety 
The chances of you or a member of your family becoming a victim of violent crime are low. Violent crimes by strangers in public places are still rare and account for a very small part of recorded crime. However, you can make yourself even less likely to be the victim of a violent crime - for example, robbery (mugging) or assault - by taking a few sensible precautions. Many are common sense, and may be things that you already do.
Domestic Violence
The Home Office define Domestic Abuse as any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. It has profound consequences in the lives of individuals, families and communities.
Abuse happens in all societies irrespective of gender, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, cultural background, disability, marital status, age or sexual orientation.
It can have a damaging effect on the recipient's mental and physical health, resulting in poor performance and attendance at work. It is a major issue. One in four women and one in six men will suffer domestic abuse and it can have a major impact on their working lives. The cost to an organisation can also be quite considerable in terms of time absent, loss of the employee to the working environment etc.
Staffordshire County Council recognises it has a duty to promote a safe and healthy working environment to provide support to any employee, male or female who is a victim of domestic abuse and to protect employees from the risk of violent attacks from partners, ex-partners or family members while they are at work. We have therefore developed a Domestic Abuse policy for staff.
In addition, we shall work with partners to develop joined-up solutions to domestic abuse across Staffordshire.
Further Advice and Information
If you, or someone you know, is affected by domestic abuse, help is available:
General
The following site provides information on Women's Aid, the national domestic violence charity - www.womensaid.org.uk
www.thehideout.org.uk
www.refuge.org.uk
24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline 0808 2000 247
Staffordshire Domestic Violence Forum Contact List (PDF, 17kb)
Staffordshire Domestic Violence Forum Contact List.doc
Stafford
Stafford Women's Aid 08702700123
Victim Support 01785 715666
Lichfield & Tamworth
Pathway (24hrs) 01543 261890
Victim Support 08453 030 900
Cannock Chase
Victim Support 08453 030 900
East Staffordshire
Kiaura 01283 511514 out of hours 07970 745275
Staffordshire Moorlands / Newcastle under Lyme
Victim Support 01782 717184 or 08088 010 327
North Staffs Helpline 01782 683700
County Wide Numbers
Karma Nirvana 01332 604098 or 07952856859
(Asian Women's Helpline)
Male Helplines
Mankind 01823 334244
(Daily 10am- 4pm and 7pm- 9pm except Fridays)
Victim Support Male Helpline 0808 801 0327
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Domestic Argument |
Home Security
Reduce the risk of your home being burgled by making sure you've taken simple (and often inexpensive) precautions.
Most burglaries are carried out by opportunist thieves. In two out of 10 burglaries, they don't even have to use force - they get in through an open door or window. So fit strong locks to your doors and windows and make sure you always keep them fully locked.
Children and the Internet
The Internet has become a vital tool for communication, information, entertainment and shopping and is critical to childrens' development in today's world. For the great majority of children, their use of the Internet will be perfectly safe and enjoyable. Follow these links for guidance for parents and children on using the internet safely.
Student Safety
Students own more expensive consumer goods per head than the rest of the population, so it's no surprise that 1 in 3 students becomes the victim of a crime each year at university. Mugging, vehicle-related theft and burglary are the biggest crimes affecting students. Follow this simple advice to protect yourself and your belongings.
Fraud, Scams and Rip-Offs
Every day, people throughout the UK are falling victim to a scam of one kind or another. It could be an unexpected prize draw or lottery win, or a chance to invest in an exciting new money-making or investment programme. Promotions of this kind, however they are distributed, are a dishonest attempt to trap you into parting with your money. Here, the Department of Trade and Industry provide useful information to prevent you and your family becoming victim to scams and rip offs. For further information, contact your local trading standards service.
- Consumer Direct: Practical Advice on Scams
- Consumer Advice from Staffordshire Trading Standards
- Getting Involved - There are a lot of different things you can do to prevent crime in your street or neighbourhood. You might like to join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, or become a Special Constable. Or, you could do some volunteering, perhaps with older people to help them feel safer (for example, by fitting door locks or security chains for them), or with younger people to help them to use their time constructively. For more information, please follow the link above.
Vehicle Crime
Nationally, more than a quarter of all recorded crimes are car thefts or thefts from cars. If your car is stolen or broken into, it could mean weeks of expensive inconvenience - and losing your no-claims bonus. Most car crime is opportunist, but fairly cheap and easy to prevent. Here Staffordshire Police provide advice on protecting your car from thieves.
Last Modified:
13/11/2008 14:20:15
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