GMP launch second year of Operation Lioness as it roars into action to protect women and girls across Greater Manchester

On Friday 21 July 2023, for a second year running, Operation Lioness has begun across each district of Greater Manchester.

Operation Lioness is an operation that aims to target the night-time economy as part of the ongoing efforts and commitment to tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), ensuring those who are out in the night-time are safe, protected and supported.

In 2021, GMP created a new operation called ‘Operation Lioness’ in response to the nationwide call to address and end violence against women and girls. This operation was initially piloted in Tameside before it was rolled out force wide in Summer 2022.

In 2022, the operation saw excellent results in the reduction of VAWG related incidents and the increase in arrests for related crimes and since then, VAWG has been highlighted as a national priority by the UK Government. During the summertime operation in 2022, there were more than 250 arrests, 100s of stop searches and positive interventions across Greater Manchester.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) has also recently published the first ever national Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA) of crimes posing the most danger to women and girls, including drink spiking, harassment, sexual assault, rape, and domestic abuse.

Operation Lioness launched across the force and will continue throughout the summer for the next nine weeks to ensure women and girls can enjoy a night out without fear. The operation will see dedicated teams of officers descending on town centres at the weekends and high traffic evenings in a crackdown against violence and abuse directed at women and girls. 

Officers will work closely with partner agencies and have a visible presence in town centres, licensed premises, and public transport, as they tackle issues including sexual harassment, drink spiking and predatory behaviour.

Detective Superintendent James Faulkner, Force Tactical Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls said: “Behaviour such as harassment, sexual assault and spiking is completely unacceptable, and we want women to be able to enjoy an evening out without feeling nervous about being taken advantage of, or of walking home or of having theirs or their friends’ drinks spiked.

“This kind of behaviour is not acceptable, and this operation is committed to making women and girls feel safe. We want all women to come out into the night-time economy and enjoy our towns and city centres across Greater Manchester. The feedback from Operation Lioness since 2021 has been extremely positive and is testament to our officer’s hard work and dedication, but also the cooperation and engagement of the public.

“Of course, the work doesn’t stop at Operation Lioness; Greater Manchester Police are continually working to improve our service towards victims of crime. We are continuing to work with partner agencies and local authorities as well as licensed premises and voluntary organisations to ensure our common aim of protecting women and girls in the night-time economies is achieved.

“The operation will take place every week for the next few weeks and our officers will be covering not only local licensed premises and high streets, but transport links such as the trams and buses. As well as our visible officers who patrol our night-time hotspot areas, we have specially trained covert officers operating to ensure no stone is left unturn and offenders are apprehended quickly.

“We will also have staff in our control rooms monitoring CCTV in hotspot areas so patrols can be sent directly to any suspicious or dangerous situations which may be unfolding. We are fully committed to making sure offenders face the consequences of their actions. It's not the responsibility of women to prevent themselves from becoming victims, it's down to us as law enforcers to target offenders and bring those responsible to justice.

“Our officers are on hand to answers any questions you may have, provide crime prevention advice to the public, and support and engage with those enjoying their activities.

Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal justice, and Fire, Kate Green, added: "We know that our nightlife is the best around, but sadly we also know that things can and do go wrong. And too often this disproportionately affects women and girls – from unwanted comments to sexual harassment and drink spiking. That’s why GMP’s work here is so important in helping to keep women and girls safe.

“Operation Lioness is a great example of how we are tackling gender-based violence through a whole-systems approach, bringing our services and partners across the city-region to work together. Alongside this, we are expanding Greater Manchester's Good Night Out Guide for 2023, following a successful first year. The Guide is packed full of safe places and trusted services so everyone going out can know what to do and where to go for help, should they ever need it.

"This isn’t about asking women to remain vigilant; men and boys have a responsibility to call out unacceptable behaviour towards women and girls. That’s why we have continued the award-winning #IsThisOK? campaign which calls on everyone, particularly men and boys, to be aware of and help tackle gender-based violence. If someone you know is acting inappropriately, let them know that their behaviour isn't OK. Even seemingly small actions can make a big difference. We all have a part to play in keeping each other safe when on a night out."

Follow @IsThisOKGM on social media, or go to the campaign website for more information: isthisokgm.co.uk

Report and support

If you or someone you know has been a victim of crime, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police immediately by calling 101 or report on our website using our ‘report’ tool: www.gmp.police.uk. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

There are also lots of organisations and support agencies available across Greater Manchester that can help and provide advice and support for you:

Domestic Abuse

Rape and other sexual offences

Spiking

Stalking and harassment

Ask For Angela

The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ is being rolled out to bars, clubs, and other licensed businesses across Greater Manchester. People who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela’.

This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them to a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police.

Ask for ANI

The UK Government launched the Ask for ANI (Action Needed Immediately) domestic abuse codeword scheme to help victims access emergency support from the safety of their local pharmacy.

When a victim uses the codeword in the pharmacy, or other registered safe space, a member of staff will take the victim to a private room (‘Safe Space’) where they can help them call the police, domestic abuse helpline or a family member, friend or perhaps even a solicitor.

Once your space has signed up, we will get in touch and provide you with the information and display assets.

You can assist victims of domestic abuse by adopting the Ask for ANI codeword scheme. By letting your customers know that they can use the codeword in your pharmacy, you will give victims a clear, discreet way to ask for immediate help.

Sign up to Ask for ANI here

Greater Manchester Combined Authority – Good Night Out Guide

If you’re heading on a big night out soon, make sure it’s a ‘proper good night out’ with GMCA’s ‘Good Night Out Guide’.

Information in the Good Night Out Guide includes safe places and trusted services that people can go to while on a night out, what to do if something goes wrong while out, including advice on what to do if a drink has been spiked, where and how to report when things go wrong and services available for support.

Find out more here