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The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Alison Hernandez

Disrupt

Stalking awareness training

Revenge Porn Helpline

If you have been affected by so-called revenge porn, where intimate images have been shared online without consent, free help is available from the Revenge Porn Helpline. 

Anyone affected is encouraged to act quickly. Support is available by calling 0345 6000 459 or reporting online via https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/.

The Commissioner’s office is actively promoting this specialist support available through the South West Grid for Learning which provides free, confidential advice and practical assistance. Victims can receive support to report incidents, request the removal of harmful content, and understand the options available to them.

Ensuring that victims can access timely and effective support is a key part of disrupting online harm and tackling forms of abuse that increasingly affect women and girls.

Click on the sections below to find out more about the Disrupt project:

Male allyship

Support for victims

Spiking prevention

Revenge Porn Helpline

Advice for parents and carers

Voluntary sector support

Supporting the community and voluntary sector

The Commissioner’s office is strengthening support for the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector by investing in tools and opportunities to help organisations secure funding and deliver local interventions.

Access to Grantfinder has been introduced to help VCSE organisations identify relevant funding opportunities. This supports groups to develop and deliver their own initiatives, including those aligned to priorities identified through the Disrupt project.

To complement this, a monthly funding newsletter has been launched from March 2026, providing regular updates on opportunities available to organisations working in this space.

Practical support is also being provided to build capability across the sector. A masterclass on applying for grant funding was delivered in Autumn 2025, equipping organisations with the knowledge and confidence to strengthen funding applications and develop sustainable projects.

Organisations working to address violence against women and girls, or related issues, are encouraged to engage with this support and explore available funding opportunities.

If your organisation would like to find out more, please get in touch via the Commissioner’s Contact Us page.

Click on the sections below to find out more about the Disrupt project:

Male allyship

Support for victims

Spiking prevention

Revenge Porn Helpline

Advice for parents and carers

Voluntary sector support

Spiking prevention

Stamp Out Spiking logo

A recent, significant change in law on spiking has come about as a direct result of campaigning in Devon.

Stamp Out Spiking is a national charity founded by Devon-based campaigner Dawn Dines, who has led sustained efforts to improve awareness, reporting and legal protections around spiking. There are clear links between alcohol-related harm, spiking, and violence against women and girls, and this work forms part of a wider approach to addressing those risks.

The Commissioner has welcomed Dawn’s efforts to tackle this issue, and has awarded a Community Safety Grant to Stamp Out Spiking to strengthen prevention and response work across Devon and Cornwall.

Watch the video below for information about what to do if you think you’ve been spiked.

Funding is supporting the delivery of targeted training to improve both prevention and response. This includes sessions for security staff, trade unions and students, as well as work with universities across the region, including the University of Exeter, Falmouth University and the University of Plymouth. The training focuses on early identification of spiking, practical response, and building confidence among those most likely to encounter incidents.

This activity comes alongside a significant change in legislation. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 has introduced a specific criminal offence of administering a harmful substance without consent, including spiking. This provides greater clarity in law and reflects the long-standing campaigning work led by Stamp Out Spiking.

Despite this progress, spiking remains under-reported. Local data shows that incidents continue to be recorded across Devon and Cornwall, and national evidence indicates that many victims still choose not to report. Improving awareness, confidence and reporting is therefore a key priority.

The Commissioner continues to support a coordinated approach, working with partners, venues and communities to strengthen prevention, encourage early reporting, and ensure appropriate responses when incidents occur.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of spiking is encouraged to seek help immediately and report the incident to Devon & Cornwall Police by calling 101.

For more information about the charity, visit Stamp Out Spiking.

Click on the sections below to find out more about the Disrupt project:

Male allyship

Support for victims

Spiking prevention

Revenge Porn Helpline

Advice for parents and carers

Voluntary sector support

Male Ally Network in Cornwall pilot programme

Sign up for updates on this project

Strong male role models have an important part to play in challenging harmful social norms, including attitudes around gender, entitlement and relationships.

It is vital that men stand alongside women to provide a clear counterpoint to the normalisation of male aggression, the objectification of women and girls, and misconceptions around consent. Promoting respect for women, and consistently prioritising the safety of women and girls, is central to changing behaviour and expectations.

The Police and Crime Commissioner is committed to supporting and expanding this work across Devon and Cornwall. There is already a strong foundation to build on, including initiatives such as Safety of Women at Night Charters, targeted policing activity to address predatory behaviour, bystander intervention programmes, and established men’s groups working to encourage positive change.

The Commissioner’s office is supporting a Cornwall-based steering group, which brings together:

  • The former High Sheriff of Cornwall
  • Devon & Cornwall Police (Cornwall Command)
  • Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
  • Cornwall Council
  • Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum
  • Barnardo’s
  • First Light
  • The Women’s Centre Cornwall
  • WCWA

This group is developing a structured approach to male allyship and mentorship. The focus is on building momentum, strengthening skills, and establishing sustainable programmes, including men’s groups that provide safe, constructive spaces for discussion, reflection, and accountability.

The intention is to support men to challenge harmful behaviours, address personal attitudes, and act as visible allies in their communities. This includes creating opportunities for men to speak openly, take responsibility, and contribute to improving the safety of women and girls.

This work will engage a broad range of partners, including influential individuals, organisations with strong male participation such as sports clubs, schools and youth settings, and existing men’s groups already active in this area.

A key aim is to reach beyond those already working in the domestic abuse sector, encouraging wider participation in changing attitudes and behaviours.

Progress and learning from this work will be highlighted during the 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence, which runs annually from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). This period brings together individuals, organisations and communities to raise awareness and promote action to end violence.

The programme is supported by £50,000 from the Police and Crime Commissioner and a further £50,000 from proceeds of crime funding allocated by the Chief Constable of Devon & Cornwall Police.

Use this form to sign up for updates on the Male Ally Network in Cornwall:

Name
Are you interested in becoming a training provider?

Click on the sections below to find out more about the Disrupt project:

Male allyship

Support for victims

Spiking prevention

Revenge Porn Helpline

Advice for parents and carers

Voluntary sector support

Advice for parents and carers

Lets-talk-simple-1920-x-960

We are determined to support parents and carers to protect young people from harmful behaviour. 

Let’s Talk is a free online resource available for everybody, which can help prevent harmful behaviours and shape healthier attitudes from a young age. 

Working in partnership with the South Devon Community Safety Partnership, the Commissioner’s office is investing £100,000 to expand the Let’s Talk programme.

  • Online sessions for parents, carers and professionals
  • A targeted Dads’ Campaign to encourage greater involvement from fathers and male role models
  • Resources for staff working with children and young people
  • Live, in-person sessions covering key topics such as healthy relationships, misogyny, online risks, indecent image sharing, the rise of AI, child exploitation, pornography, and non-fatal strangulation

Let’s Talk provides both online and in-person resources designed to give parents and carers practical information to support conversations about healthy relationships with their children.

This funding will support a structured programme of activity, including:

Together, these elements aim to give parents, carers and professionals the knowledge and confidence to address difficult issues early and consistently.

Parents and carers are encouraged to take part in Let’s Talk sessions and make use of the resources available. Engaging with this programme can help build confidence in having open conversations at home and support young people to develop a clearer understanding of respectful and healthy relationships.

Rebecca Hewitt of the South Devon Community Safety Partnership discusses the Let’s Talk programme in more detail on the Commissioner’s podcast, Your Voice in Policing (Your VIP). You can watch the episode below or listen via your preferred podcast service.

Click on the sections below to find out more about the Disrupt project:

Male allyship

Support for victims

Spiking prevention

Revenge Porn Helpline

Advice for parents and carers

Voluntary sector support

Support for victims and witnesses

We know that the process of reporting a crime, and everything that follows, can be a confusing, worrying, and sometimes frightening experience.

The Commissioner wants every person affected by crime to feel in control and be informed about what is happening to them, and what’s to come.

Criminal Justice and You is an online resource featuring videos about every step of the criminal justice process, from reporting a crime to when a case goes to court, or what happens if it doesn’t.

Crucially, the resource also contains a video about reporting a rape or sexual offence, including what happens at a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). Our hope is that by demystifying this process, people affected by these types of crimes will feel empowered to report and bring offenders to justice.

 

Watch the video below to find out more about Criminal Justice and You:

Criminal Justice and You, which was developed by the Commissioner’s office in collaboration with the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB), was promoted at a dedicated justice themed session focused on justice at the West Country Women’s International Women’s Day 2026 event in Plymouth.

The programme brought together more than 200 participants from across the region to explore how violence against women and girls can be tackled.

The Commissioner supported the event through funding from the Ministry of Justice, and hosted a session highlighting practical actions being taken locally, including work to improve the experience of victims and witnesses within the criminal justice system. 

Alongside this, the event also showcased wider initiatives funded or supported by the Commissioner, including the Let’s Talk programme, which focuses on equipping parents and carers with the knowledge to support young people and address risks such as unhealthy relationships and online harm.

By bringing together partner organisations and highlighting both frontline services and practical tools, the event reinforced a whole-system approach to supporting victims, ensuring they are better informed, better supported, and able to access the help they need.