Staying Safe

Everyone has the right to feel safe, there may be situations which may make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. There are a number of things which may help you to feel safer.

Whatever you’re going through, we can support you.

Here are a few things you can do to stay safe:

• If you have to walk alone at night take extra care. Stay on roads that are well lit and relatively busy.
• Avoid short cuts that involve alleyways or walking across parks unless they are well-lit.
• If you are waiting for a bus or a train, stand in a well-lit area near other people. Once you are on board, try and sit near other people and make sure you know where the emergency alarms are.
•  Don’t be afraid to change seats or carriages if you feel unsafe, even if it seems rude to do so.
• Let someone you trust know where you are and update them on where you will be or if you will be running late.
•  Be mindful that alcohol and drugs will reduce reaction times, which makes it harder to assess risks and decide how to deal with them.
• Find out more about making safer choices online and on social media.

How Victim First can support you to feel safe:

At Victim First our Children and Young Person’s Caseworker can support with:

• Providing you with crime prevention measures such as a purse bells, anti-spiking bottle stoppers, and a personal alarm to carry around with you when you are feeling unsafe.
• Creating a safety plan, to use when you are feeling unsafe in different situations.
• Creating a safe space to speak to your caseworker about how you are feeling and how to keep safe.
• Helping you to speak to the police or you parents if you want to.

Reporting a crime

If you think you have been a victim of a crime and want to report a crime, you can tell a parent, carer or adult you trust. Victim First can also help you with this if you are unsure.

• If you feel you are in immediate danger, call 999.
• If it is not an emergency but you still want to report something to the police, you can call 101 or report online via Report a crime | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk)