02.

India's legacy in Cheltenham

In January 2016, India Eve Chipchase was raped and murdered after she was lured away from outside of a night club in Northampton by a sexual predator.

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India was failed that fateful night. A lack of proactive engagement with the clearly vulnerable India by ENTE resources ensured a sexual predator was given the opportunity to extinguish this young life. India was 20 years old.

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We have vowed to protect young women in Cheltenham. Proactive engagement with lone females by our safeguarding team within the evening and night-time economy environment is helping to keep our kids safe.

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THE INDIA PROTOCOL AND THE EQUALITY ACT 2010

The India Protocol is an Equality Act compliant single-sex safeguarding system operated by female officers for female service users.

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India Protocol service users may:

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• be vulnerable

• be unconscious

• lack capacity

• be a victim of a recent or historic sexual assault

• be a victim of coercive control and/or domestic violence

We recognise the requirement for India Protocol service users to receive specialist care and/or intervention by a female officer in a female-only secure environment. A duty of care also extends to our female officers who may be required to search the body, clothing and/or personal effects of an unconscious or incapacitated female service user.

There are no plans to extend the India Protocol to non-female service users.

For every ten proactive India Protocol approaches we make around three will result in further action or intervention by our experienced safeguarding team.

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The proactive engagement of lone females by uniformed Guardian officers helps to counter negative issues before they are given the opportunity to escalate.

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Reactive responses by our team to emergencies already underway are always swift and professional. Once in our care our service users can be assured of their safety, their security, and a protected pathway to resolving the emergency.

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Currently, all but one of our officers are female which reflects the female-centric work we undertake.

Initiated and launched in Wellington, New Zealand, Who Are You? is a ground-breaking multi-media campaign. It is a collaborative effort from RespectEd Aotearoa, Tū Pakari Ora – Sexual Assault Assessment and Treatment Service, Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation, Radio Network Wellington, Hutt Rape Counselling Network, Wellington Police, Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care and Regional Public Health.