Bar Wars aredeclared onsexual attacks

Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stephen House (right) talks to Butterfly and Pig employee Paul Banham during the launch of a the latest phase of rape prevention campaign at the Butterfly and Pig bar in Glasgow. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday July 8, 2015. The campaign is aimed at 16 to 27-year-old men, the age group most likely to commit rape and sexual offences, and will feature a hard-hitting TV, cinema and digital advert. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

With county sexual assault figures on the rise in the past year, the Lanarkshire Division of Police Scotland has joined with the local NHS, councils and many voluntary groups in the `We Can Stop It’ crusade, a two-pronged attack on the offence, trying to make men think about their own actions and encouraging bystanders to intervene if they see a situation which might result in a rape in progress.

The campaign intends to get its message through to as wide a section of the population as possible; even bar staff are to be given advice on how to spot potential rape situations developing in the pubs they are working in and repirt tyheir fears to the police so that preventative action can be taken.

At trhe launch of the campaign, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Livingston of Lanarkshire CID, said: “The main focus of our campaign is the message that sex without consent is rape. It is a very

clear message to perpetrators, forcing them to look at their own behaviour and attitudes.

“Sexual crime is under-reported and we encourage people to come forward to report rape. The numbers

reported to Lanarkshire Division have increased and I believe this is because victims are more

confident to report such a crime.

“We work very closely with a number of partner agencies including Rape Crisis and Women’s

Aid, to ensure victims are provided with the best support available to them. We have a team of

specialist officers working within Lanarkshire Division to deal with sexual crime.

“However, we want to prevent that type of crime happening in the first place. One way in which we can ensure

that happens is by engaging with our partners in the licensed trade, in community groups, in

youth groups, to raise awareness of how we can all have a part to play in preventing sexual

crime. Don’t be a bystander, if you see a vulnerable person who could be at risk of being a victim

of sexual or any crime, please step forward and intervene. You could have the power to stop

them from becoming a victim.”

For further information about the We Can Stop It campaign go to the website at: