New safety scheme allows women in Cambridgeshire to flag down buses if under threat
Claire McGlasson found out more about the scheme for ITV News Anglia
Women feeling threatened will be able to flag down buses to take them to safety, under a new scheme launched across two counties.
Stagecoach drivers in Cambridgeshire will be trained to spot signs of sexual harassment and offer help.
The scheme is a result of a partnership between Stagecoach East and Businesses Against Abuse, a Cambridgeshire-based initiative to get businesses working together to prevent sexual harassment and abuse against women and girls.
It comes after the Met Police was criticised for suggesting during its investigation into the murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, one of its own officers, that she should have flagged down a bus to get to safety.
Ian De Chastelain, Stagecoach East training manager, said a key part was how to recognise a vulnerable individual.
"If a driver was driving down the road and spotted a young lady walking along with someone close behind her and he thought 'that looks odd', we say to that driver: think about that, think about what you're seeing.
"Pull the bus over and open the door and ask the lady if she's ok, or if she needs any help.
"If a driver felt that there was something they couldn't necessarily deal with, or they're unsure of, they'll pick up the phone and call the control centre and the control centre can escalate that if needed or provide further advice."
Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre helped design the training in a bid to make buses a safe haven and described the scheme as "a really positive step in the right direction".
Norah Al-Ani, director at Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, said: "Some of what this is doing, in terms of awareness-raising and messaging in society and in our communities, is to ensure that women and girls recognise that their safety and security matters to everybody.
"It sends a powerful message to anyone who is thinking about perpetrating those harmful behaviours, that their behaviour won't be accepted or tolerated."
The scheme is backed by Cambridgeshire Police, which said it was an important step in tackling violence against women and girls.
Darryl Preston, police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: "The more people we can train, the better.
"This is a fantastic piece of work which is aiming at training people to identify those predatory behaviours and stop these sort of abhorrent crimes."
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