NPCC urges public not to ‘suffer in silence’ as ASB Awareness Week gets underway

Running from Monday (July 3) to July 9, ASB Awareness Week 2023 aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB and highlight the actions that can be taken by those experiencing it.

Organised by Resolve, the ASB and community safety organisation, the week features a series of events across the UK involving councils, police forces, housing associations, charities, community groups and sports clubs.

Recent YouGov research commissioned by Resolve found that almost one in five people had considered moving home because of the impact ASB was having on them, while one in ten had actually moved. Despite this, more than half of those surveyed who were either a victim or witness of ASB did not report the ASB.

The NPCC is urging members of the public not to “suffer in silence” if they experience ASB. It says incidents can be reported to the ASB team at the local council, or to the police if people feel that they are at immediate risk or in danger.

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet, NPCC lead for ASB, said: “People have a right to live their lives free from intimidation and harassment in their own communities. We know ASB has the power to wreck people’s lives and therefore it is important to have a multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour.

“Throughout the week, police forces across the country will be actively engaging with their communities and local partnerships in raising awareness on various aspects to do with ASB.

“As part of the week there will be a focus on victims; ASB is not a low-level offence and can have a great impact on someone’s quality of life. People need to know what their rights are and we will be highlighting those to victims.

“There will also be a focus on young people; often they are silent victims of ASB and we will be working with organisations such as the Premier League to highlight key outreach work which is taking place to engage with young people.”

He added: “The public should continue reporting incidents to us. Policing is one part of the solution but where it is not a policing matter, we will work with local authorities and other agencies to effectively combat ASB and empower victims and communities.

“Police will prosecute where there is evidence of a criminal offence and forces will use all local intelligence provided to appropriately prioritise their neighbourhood policing response.”

Rebecca Bryant OBE, chief executive of Resolve, said ASB is “not low-level”.

“It can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can be a precursor to more serious crime,” she said.

“It is important that the challenge of ASB continues to be given the priority it needs so that people everywhere feel safe in their homes and communities.

“We are delighted that NPCC is supporting this hugely important campaign. It is vital to develop partnership approaches across communities to deal with the growing challenges around ASB.”

Association of Police and Crime Commissioners joint local policing leads, Jeff Cuthbert and Steve Turner, said tackling ASB is not a police problem but a partnership problem.

In a joint statement they said: “ASB has a devastating impact on victims and communities and may threaten fundamental aspects of everyday life, among them personal harm which may manifest through changed routines, impacted quality of life and avoidance behaviours, as well as further negative mental health implications, such as increased stress and anxiety leading on to panic attacks or depression.

“And that is why tackling ASB is a key priority highlighted in all police and crime commissioners’ (PCCs) Police and Crime Plans.

“We fully support this year’s campaign theme ‘Know Your Rights’ with a particular focus on the ASB Case Review – a powerful tool for victims of ASB that far too few people know about.

“The ASB Case Review gives victims of persistent ASB the right to request a multi-agency case review. As we have previously advocated, tackling ASB is not a police problem but a partnership problem and PCCs play a crucial role in bringing together partners and agencies to tackle issues in the community on behalf of the public.

“We are the voice of the public and will continue to fund preventative projects and initiatives and work with partners to support those who are victims of ASB.

“Throughout ASB Awareness Week you will see many examples from PCCs on how they are working with partners to prevent ASB locally. They will also be reminding the public of the importance of reporting all incidents of ASB to the appropriate authority.

“We can all play a role in tackling anti-social behaviour and we have a collective responsibility of ensuring everybody in our communities feels safe.”

To mark the start of ASB Awareness Week, the Government is rolling out the first £3 million of its ‘Million Hours Fund’ to help youth organisations offer additional opportunities to young people through the summer holidays.

The initial funding will give young people living in ASB hotspots in England more access to sport, arts and opportunities to develop skills.

The Million Hours Fund, announced in March as part of the Prime Minister’s ASB Action Plan, will support an additional one million hours of positive activities from youth services.