Mims Davies MP has joined a national campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour and keep people in Mid Sussex safe.
Running from July 3 -9, ASB Awareness Week 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 UK’s leading ASB and community safety organisation, the week features a series of events all across the UK involving Councils, Police Forces, Housing Associations, charities, community groups and sports clubs.
Recent YouGov research commissioned by Resolve found that more than half of people (57%) believe that ‘more needs to be done’ to tackle ASB in their community. However, after they witnessed or experienced ASB, a similar proportion of the public (53%) said that they did not report it to anyone.
Mims Davies MP is urging constituents not to suffer in silence if they experience ASB. Incidents can be reported to the anti-social behaviour team at the local Council, or to the Police if people feel that they are at immediate risk or in danger.
Commenting, Mims Davies MP said:
I am pleased to offer my support to ASB Awareness Week 2023, and I am committed to ensuring that everyone has the right to feel safe in their home and community.
No one should feel afraid while out and about in Mid Sussex yet for so many people, particularly women and girls, feeling uncomfortable or even unsafe in public spaces has become an all-too-common occurrence. That is why I was delighted that Sussex has received £1.5 million through the Safer Streets Fund towards tackling anti social behaviour and violence against women and girls
I’ve worked closely with police, PCSOs, and local councillors to tackle ASB head on and I’m pleased that so far we are not seeing a repeat of behaviour that was affecting residents across the constituency last year.
Last year, Mims Davies MP welcomed the news that the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne OBE has been awarded a total of £1.5 million from the Home Office under the latest round of Safer Streets funding.
Both of the applications made by the Sussex PCC and partners were successful, with both bids individually worth £749,886.
This additional funding, part of the £50million from the latest round of the Safer Streets Fund, will go towards measures proven to cut crime, including extra CCTV and streetlighting in communities alongside engagement work to change attitudes and behaviours to prevent crimes being committed.
Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve added:
ASB is not low-level crime. It can have a long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can be a precursor to more serious crime.
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 Mims Davies MP is supporting this hugely important campaign. It is vital to develop partnership approaches across communities to deal with the growing challenges around ASB.
For more information about ASB Awareness Week – visit www.resolveuk.org.uk/asbawarenessweek