Sue Arnold, Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire was the speaker at a recent meeting of Cannock Soroptimists. President Val Jones introduced her saying that she was a ‘Woman of Power’ who would talk about ‘Women as Victims’, her theme for the year.
Sue has been Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner (DPCC) since 2012; part of her portfolio is ‘Victims’ considering in particular how they are treated and the support mechanisms available to them. When she first looked into this there were 60,000 victims of crime in the County but support was being offered to only 23,000 – the type of crime dictated whether or not support was offered and Sue could see this was unfair. Her work with several agencies meant that the Victim Gateway was launched ensuring support is available to every victim of crime in Staffordshire. Additional services are available for victims of Domestic Abuse: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are such victims, resulting in untold harm. Part of the support now available is to Businesses: in partnership with Staffordshire Women’s Aid members of staff are trained as Domestic Abuse Champions, enabling them to recognise some of the signs of such abuse and to signpost help and offer basic advice to victims.
Cyber Crime is a growing and extremely worrying issue. It includes grooming, child sexual exploitation, fraud, cyber attacks…….and Sue showed particular concern for children and young people who are open to many types of crime through their mobile phones. She called the mobile phone the most dangerous thing a child or young person ever has and encouraged everyone to ensure they and their children are appropriately protected when on-line.
FGM is a big issue in Staffordshire as well as nationally but is difficult to detect as it is both cultural and underground- there have been 30 new cases in Staffordshire this year with cases growing year on year; cutters are flown in then leave before they can be prosecuted. Education of women and girls is the biggest way to fight this horrendous crime; Sue has secured funding to provide some of this education.
Modern Day Slavery affects men, women and children and is as prevalent in Staffordshire as it is elsewhere. The PCC is working with the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that workers within the supply chain of businesses are ‘clean’. Last year 30 victims were rescued from MDS, many of them having been employed in care homes. Staffordshire Police Officers have been trained to recognise signs of MDS; the charity Hope for Justice becomes involved once a victim is identified.
The final project which Sue spoke about was Staffordshire Police Cadets, a cause close to her heart as it enables youngsters between the ages of 13 and 17 to learn life skills and to have aspirations; at least 25% of the members are vulnerable children and there is a flourishing unit in Cannock.
Soroptimist Trish Mellor thanked Sue for her most interesting and informative talk and for being such a champion for vulnerable women and children in Staffordshire. She presented Sue with a donation for Staffordshire Police Cadets.
Sue Arnold, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire said: ‘I would like to thank the Cannock Soroptimists for their warm welcome and for their generous donation to the Staffordshire Police Cadets. The ongoing roll-out of cadet units across Staffordshire relies on community and business sponsorship so donations like this are extremely important to us.’
More information about all PCC projects is available on the website: www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk
Photo: l to r: Val Jones, President, SI Cannock & District; Sue Arnold, Deputy Police & Crime
Commissioner.