A new initiative in Plymouth is helping women feel safer during their nights out. The city council, in collaboration with local police, is focusing on disrupting predatory behavior towards women to prevent it from escalating into serious violence.

In the 12 months leading up to November 2024, 43 men aged between 22 and 77 were reviewed after 'intelligence' identified early signs of predatory behavior. This behavior includes loitering, isolating, harassing, following women, making sexualized comments, and giving unwanted attention.

Out of the 43 men, 18 were asked to visit police stations to discuss their actions with a group known as the 'Evening and Night-Time Economy Predatory Behavior Disruption Partnership'. Kristina Browning, the council’s community safety manager, reported that none of the men met the threshold for a criminal investigation. Without such interventions, their behavior would have gone unchallenged.

Browning emphasized that in all cases, women felt harassed, alarmed, and distressed by the men's actions. She pointed out that this issue is not isolated to Plymouth but is a nationwide concern. “The vast majority of people who go out do so with the best intentions,” she said. “This is about a small minority with bad intentions, and they are the ones we aim to target.”

The partnership is equipped with tools like community protection notices and civil injunctions, helping to address antisocial behavior, especially in those who have targeted women involved in street-based sex work. A pilot scheme from the previous year is now part of the community safety team's routine operations, with 13 interventions already made in the first four months of the second year.

The initiative has garnered recognition, becoming a finalist for Project of the Year at the Resolve ASB awards and catching the interest of London's Metropolitan Police, who are considering implementing a similar program. As the partnership looks to expand, funding for behavioral change programs is a priority to prevent repeat offenses.

Ms. Browning also reported that the 18 men who underwent early intervention have not been in contact with the police since. Cllr Sally Haydon, Plymouth’s cabinet member for community safety, highlighted this initiative as part of a broader effort to ensure safety, including schemes like a safe bus, street pastors, and the national 'Ask for Angela' program for vulnerable individuals on nights out.

Haydon proudly stated, “Plymouth is a very safe city. Women who just want to enjoy a night out here have every right to do so. Our public spaces should be places of fun and safety, not fear.” Plymouth has recently earned the Purple Flag accreditation for its evening and nighttime economy for the fifth consecutive year, a recognition for maintaining high standards in managing nighttime destinations.