Leicester's youth organisations receive funding to combat sexual violence
Funding supports educational programmes for young people across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland
Youth charities and community groups in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland have secured vital funding to enhance protective measures against sexual violence for children and young people.
Seven organisations have successfully obtained funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews to expand specialist sexual violence prevention education.
The grants, totalling £1,000 each, will train facilitators to deliver two programmes: SHUSH (Speaking Honestly 2 Understand Sexual Harm) aimed at those aged 10-15, and SHARA (Sexual Harm Awareness and Recognising Abuse) aimed at those aged 16-19.
These programmes address topics such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, consent, boundaries, sexual harassment, grooming, sexting, online harms, bystander intervention, gendered violence, misogyny, and managing rejection.
The initiative aims to equip young people with the necessary tools to make confident personal choices.
The PCC has prioritised the issue of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within his Police and Crime Plan, committed to making the area safe for women and girls.
His goals include addressing stalking and harassment swiftly, boosting the confidence of women and girls to come forward, and promoting behavioural change campaigns to eradicate unacceptable behaviours.
The SHUSH and SHARA programmes align with the joint Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2024-2026, focusing on early intervention with young people.
Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said, “I am pleased to welcome a further seven organisations to our ambitious programme, which is addressing a critical gap in preventative sexual violence education for young people across the city and two counties.
Sexual violence is an ever-present threat in the lives of young people today with advances in technology providing unlimited avenues for predators to anonymously target their victims.
It is imperative we act now. Sexual violence is not inevitable, and we can protect more young people from coming to harm by intervening earlier and providing additional safe spaces for them to ask questions and understand the part they can play in rejecting misogynistic culture so women and girls can feel safer and ultimately thrive."
The programme is already integrated across the force area, with prior grants issued to community providers for staff training, programme implementation, and sustained support networks.
Among the successful grant recipients are Jalaram Bal Vikas Ltd, Inspire Young People & Families CIC, Root-and-Branch Out CIC, After18, The Braunstone Foundation, Family Action, and Warning Zone.
The PCC collaborates with the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) and other agencies to tackle VAWG.
Organisations in Charnwood, Hinckley & Bosworth, East Leicester, and West Leicester have been prioritised for the current funding round.