Recognise – Prevent and Safeguarding

Prevent is a part of the government’s Counter Terrorism Strategy CONTEST of which there are four areas of work:

  1. Prevent – Work to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
  2. Pursue – Work to stop terrorist attacks
  3. Protect – Work to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack
  4. Prepare – Work to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attackPrevent refers to the work being completed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Raising awareness of the Prevent agenda is hoped to lead to an increased identification of people at risk and consequentially, the opportunity to help and stop more people becoming involved.

    Locally, Prevent is part of the wider conversation around vulnerabilities. In the same way that criminals exploit the vulnerability of individuals for Child Sexual Exploitation, Human Trafficking or for the purpose of selling drugs; Terrorists exploit those same vulnerabilities in the process of radicalisation.

    Vulnerabilities might include but are not limited to:

  • Peer Pressure
  • Influence from other people
  • The internet
  • Bullying
  • Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour
  • Family tensions
  • Race or Hate Crime
  • Lack of Self-Esteem
  • Identity and Personal or Political Grievances
  • Poverty
  • Mental Health

How does this relate to Safeguarding?

Put simply, preventing someone from being radicalised is no different from preventing someone from becoming a victim of crime due to their vulnerability. They are both about keeping people safe and having mechanisms to support people once they are identified.

By having an understanding around Prevent and the wider issue of vulnerability we are already taking steps to challenge those who wish to exploit.

In reality, this doesn’t mean that you do anything differently to how you would usually do it. What it does mean, however, is that you accept a degree of responsibility for ensuring you remain aware to the threat of exploitative behaviour in your everyday lives. In addition to this, if you do come across anything you find concerning, you have a duty as a member of your community, whether that is your home or professional community, to do something about it.

NOTICE any change, CHECK your information and SHARE your concerns with someone.

It might be nothing, but it could be something.

VISIT OUR BLOG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE: http://info.westberks.gov.uk/saferwestberks

 

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