Derbyshire youth engagement officer judged regional winner for work in tackling violence

Last month, Julie Berry attended an awards event in London to recognise her work in tackling violence against women and girls.

Julie has created a school programme to raise awareness amongst young people in what stalking and harassment means, how it can affect others, and the potential consequences of what can happen if escalating behaviour goes unchecked.

She was judged a winner by a panel of police forces and representatives from charities including SafeLives, Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Karma Nirvana, alongside the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, and police staff associations.

She said: “I was really pleased to be nominated and proud to be a regional winner because the programme took a lot of work to make, and it is a big issue for young people.

“It’s been great to get the conversation started about healthy relationships and how to let someone know you like them without crossing the line into obsession and harassment.

Julie continued: “It’s so important to educate young people and ensure that they know what to do if it happens to them, or a friend or family member, and give them the confidence to report it.”

You can get an insight into the programme by watching the short film created by Julie and our multimedia team: Stalking and harassment short film ‘Following’ to premiere in schools | Derbyshire Constabulary

Over 140 entries were received which were initially judged regionally by police and third sector panels, before being put in front of a national panel who decided the 13 overall winners.

Judges were impressed with the effectiveness of many of the entries, giving particular praise to those officers, staff and volunteers who listened to victims and survivors, and then shaped their activity accordingly.

DCC Maggie Blyth, National Police Chiefs’ Council violence against women and girls’ coordinator, said:

“Thank you to everyone who works in policing and whose focus is on making society safer for women and girls.

“Having regional and national judging panels made up of experts from inside and outside policing have really helped us to focus on winners who have demonstrated both an understanding of what victims want and expect, but also on activity that is sustainable.

“It’s only by modelling this excellent work that we can hope to achieve consistency for women and girls across our police forces. Entries also showed how we are pursuing perpetrators and showing them that there is nowhere to hide. We all want policing to achieve more and although we still have much to do, I am heartened by the quality of work that is underway.”