Police officers and staff face confrontation and violence of a regular basis and for many the risk of being the victim of multiple assaults in a short space of time is a reality. The effects of being a repeat victim of assault can vary and will no doubt have a significant impact on the individual over a period of time.
We know from research that some of those effects may include:
- Changes in perception or attitude to risk
- Hypervigilance
- Lack or loss of self-confidence
- Lack or loss of confidence in colleagues, supervisors or the organisation
- Loss of resilience
- Effects on the desire to continue in the profession
This list mentions just a few and there are likely to be other effects depending on the individual, we are all different and have different experiences after all.
The important thing is that we are alive to the issue as a reality and in doing so we must be vigilant to ensure nobody slips through the net.
Of course, with the volume of assaults taking place it is inevitable that some people will become repeat victims simply by the fact that frontline officers and staff face that risk more than most. In fact, there is a risk that regular exposure to violence and aggression becomes normalised. This is where we need to be careful.
We must have processes in place that proactively monitor and support those that are likely to become repeat victims and ensure support is provided. In doing so supervisors are right to be supportively intrusive to look for other contributory factors that may be placing an individual at further risk.
While many forces will already have a process in place the following are considered key elements to a repeat victimisation process:
- Ensuring supervisors have a sound knowledge of Op Hampshire and recognise their importance in the process
- Early identification is key which means having effective data capture and monitoring processes to identify individuals at risk
- Developing a mechanism for escalation and notification when an individual is flagged as a repeat victim
- Supervisors should be alive to demand particularly if an individual seems to be more at risk
- Consider introducing an Op Hampshire Peer Support network. Those interactions may be the key to identifying if someone is in need of further support
- Introducing an agreed escalating intervention policy. What is the expectation and structure after two, three or more assaults?
- Sensitively engaging the victim, there should be no blame or shame. This needs to be a supportive, problem-solving process.
- The individual needs to be part of that process. What are their thoughts on why it is happening particularly if their level of victimisation is a cause for concern?
- Consider reviewing body worn video footage to establish patterns of behaviour, OST or communication issues or anything else that may be a contributory factor.
- Consider bespoke one-to-one OST reviews or refreshers
- Working through a plan of action while being clear that this is about support, managing risk and reducing offences against that person where possible.
Effective supportive leadership is the key to the wellbeing of our colleagues. Local supervisors are integral in this process, they know their people, their workload, the calls they are attending. Early identification and the early provision of support to repeat victims will make all the difference.
Cause or effect? It may be that the individual displays one or more of the effects that triggers action, it might be the volume. Either way, monitoring and early intervention is essential in the response to repeat victimisation.