However, perhaps the most shocking revelations in the report point to the research which highlights that over 750,000 children a year witness domestic violence. Research also shows that women aged between 16 and 19 are at the highest risk of sexual assault (7.9 per cent), stalking (8.5 per cent) and domestic abuse (12.7 per cent). Allaying fears of a whole new generation of domestic violence.

Over the last 10 years, the CPS has been tackling domestic violence, however it was still not seen as a criminal act until 2004. During 2004/05 the CPS prosecuted 35,000 defendants for domestic violence. In 2009/10 there were just over 74,000 prosecutions for domestic violence.

The stark reality is that young people are more likely to experience domestic violence and young woman, in particular, are still more at risk of crime in the home than anywhere else.

These facts and figures are indeed disturbing and highlighted the need for more awareness and action. Keir Starmer QC, speaking on domestic violence at the Crown Prosecution Service headquarters in central London, said, “These statistics are shocking and demonstrate that women are still more at risk of crime at home than anywhere else… We have seen the conviction rate for domestic violence offences rise from 49 per cent in 2002 to 72 per cent today, but domestic violence is still endemic in our society and we must take further steps to stop it.”

A personal alarm can be a life saving addition for anyone living with the threat of domestic violence. By allowing the victim time to gain some valuable seconds to get away from their attacker. Crime Prevention Products have a wide selection of personal alarms, foam alarms and gas alarms available.

However, there is one kind of crime that there is no hardware you can purchase to help you with, only advise and instruction on how to deal with ‘Cyberstalking‘. This is a technologically-based attack on a single person by someone or a group of people, the main reasons may be to embarrass or humiliate, however it can be more sinister such as to gain entry to bank accounts and other personal details. According to a recent report (source) 1.4 million people were stalked or harassed in Scotland, England and Wales in 2009-10. Cyberstalking has increased due to the introduction of mobile phone technology and highly addictive social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo.

Tips for preventing cyberstalking can include:

• Don’t share your personal information in any public domains online including forums and chat rooms.
• If on social networking sites please check all your security settings, for Facebook – Turn on the encryption option by clicking “Account” in the upper right corner of Facebook, then click “Account Settings,” and then click “Account Security.” Click the first option: “Secure Browsing” (https). Then click the Save button.
• Don’t go on any website that you are unsure of, check which websites your children visit, set parental controls so children cannot visit inappropriate web pages.

Cyberstalking is a very distressing experience to the victim, often leaving them too afraid to leave their own home and in some cases causing them to take their own life.

If you’re worried or feeling intimidated by someones actions online then please inform the Police – they will investigate the matter and decide if action is required. Even if the Police decide not to press charges they can give the offender a formal warning which might be enough to stop the harrassment or use the warning as evidence if the behaviour continues in the future.

With the dark winter months just weeks away, now’s the perfect time to be thinking about protecting your property, possessions and even your loved ones. Crime Prevention Products carry a vast amount of personal alarms and home security products (which can easily be installed by you) which are designed to help keep you safe and not only during the winter months and tough times ahead but for years to come.

However there is one resolution that many people forget to even mention although we speak about it all year that is to upgrade the security in their home and garage. This is a serious resolution that cannot be overlooked like drinking less and stopping smoking.

With the New Year nearly here, people tend to be a bit more lackadaisical when it comes to their home security with all the coming and going of the festive season, remember an opportunistic thief will simply walk into your home and carry something off with them.

Statistics from the British Crime Survey (BCS) and crimes recorded by the police have just been published, and there were nearly eleven million crimes committed last year (these are crimes that were reported to the authorities) the figures show that: (source)

• Theft from people is up by 25%.
• Domestic burglary is up by 1%
• The risk of being a victim of crime is up to 22%

In the New Year don’t become just another statistic protect your property, possessions and most of all yourself.

Gang culture is an underlying part of everyday life in Britain. Gang culture has no confines, therfore it can be found in most villages, towns and cities. Most gangs are run by some type of hierarchy and in a survey carried out earlier this year it was reported that more than 13% of gang members admitted carrying some type of weapon for use as protection whether it be a penknife, flick-knife or gun.

As we approach bonfire night tonight and then the traditional Christmas party season – most parents will be wondering what their kids will be doing as they pass through their front doors and off into the evening. It’s worrying to read that violent crime happened more on our streets in the last year than at any other time in the past decade. It’s estimated that a random attack in the UK happens every 30 seconds.

Binge drinking and youths carrying weapons are the main driving force behind street violence – turning everyday neighborhoods into no-go areas. Mobile phones and the internet drive gang culture – social media sites are used as online trophy rooms for the latest gang activity and bragging platforms. As parents we want to protect our children from harm, now we must protect them from harming others as well. Know what your child is getting up to, don’t think that gang culture is merely rooted to the poorer areas within the UK.

Remember, under-age binge drinking, brings about aggressive and anti-social behaviour and reduces inhibitions making youths far more vulnerable to confrontation and injury.

Well, in fact there are several things that you can do to make it harder for opportunistic thieves:

Make sure all your bags are closed before you leave any shops. As the weather gets colder we put on various layers which will include a winter jacket, don’t put your purse in the outer layer you will not feel a pick-pocket make off with your cash, always keep it close to your body. If you carry a wallet, never carry it in the back pockets of your trousers the same goes for mobile phones and iPods.

Always lock your car doors, even if your just going in to pay for petrol and never leave valuables in clear sight within your car.

In the home there are several measures that can be taken to stop intruders gaining entry, these can include many different alarms from home and drive way alarms to shed and garage alarms. If someone chaps your door don’t open your door with out a sturdy door chain – this will allow you to open the door without anyone gaining entry.

Following these simple precautions will enable you to protect your money and your possessions better.

Criminals who want to commit identity theft will go to many lengths, including going through your rubbish in order to get personal information about you, in order to set up false bank accounts and get credit cards in your name.

What can you do to protect yourself from Identity Theft?

• One of the best ways to protect your personal information is to use a cross cut shredder; any document that contains personal information about bank and credit card details should be placed in a shredder and disposed of properly.
• Always make sure all your valuables are out of sight, that goes for your car, home, wallet or handbag – never leave important information in plain view.
• Make sure that all doors and windows are securely locked or even better are protected by window and door alarms.

If your identity is stolen, you might find that you have difficulty getting loans, credit cards or even a mortgage if large debt is run up in your name. Proving that you are an innocent in identity theft can take some time and until the matter is sorted out your credit rating score can plummet.

The report also states that according to official Police reports, serious violent or sexual knife offences were up to over 38,000 that amounts to over 100 every day. With the credit crunch hitting, more and more homes are getting burgled. Stats show that in England and Wales it is reported that a home is broken into every 2 minutes, that’s more than 280,000 last year.

The only bit of good news was that murder and manslaughter were down by nearly 17% on last years report. The new Home Secretary Alan Johnson says the figures are encouraging, but admitted that some crimes such as theft and burglary have to be looked at more closely. Some of the areas which saw an increase in burglary include Hampshire and Leicestershire up by as much as 10%, this has been put down to the current economic climate and opportunistic theft which is on the increase.

In today’s climate protecting your home and property has to one of your main priorities, this can be done relatively cheaply, fitting a proper burglar alarm will deter many opportunistic thieves from entering your property, UV marking pens are another way of identifying your property just in-case you are unfortunate to have thieves steal some of your possessions, just write your post code secretly on all your belongings, again protecting your property doesn’t have to cost thousands and it can save much grief and heartache.

Police forces recognise this and some have started to make regular trips past known underage drinking ‘hotspots’. Only last week, the Police in Port Glasgow, had a clamp down on underage drinking. Commiting a large presence to the streets the Police force rounded up 15 youngsters who were caught drinking alchohol.

The collared youths were not taken to the Police station but to a temporary HQ set-up at a local school where various groups where waiting to help offer assistance with activities that were on-going throughout the Summer.

Inspector Graeme McDiarmid says “Friday’s, operation saw 15 youngsters aged between 12 and 16 being brought in and a further 42 had turned up due to a leaflet drop”. Some of the groups present included a boxing club, a break dancing club and The Princes Trust.

Some of the kids that had been caught drinking had their parents called and upon arrival were shocked and embarrassed to see their children receiving counselling about the dangers of young drinkers becoming involved in crime. Inspector McDiarmid says a total of 79 litres of alcohol were confiscated off the streets, including bottles that belonged to 9 adults. With the school holidays just around the corner and many parents left with no option but to continue working, are we really sure we know what our children are up to?

Remember, thieves will always look for an easy option into your home, garden or vehicle. Think about it, why waste the time and energy trying to break down a door or catch a car door latch when all they need do is wait for the homeowner to open it for them as they help cool down the house or get the car ready for a well-deserved wash.

Seemingly, if you want to cool down the house during a heatwave then the best advice is too close all doors and windows NOT open them. By opening doors and windows you are allowing the warm air to enter into the house. Also shut curtains or blinds to help shade indoors to properly cool down your home.

However, there are many things that can be done to protect your property and vehicles. If you decide to do a bit of relaxing in the garden, make sure you lock your front door, put your windows on the safety latch and remove the keys. Another good point is to put on your house alarm … home alarms are one of the best way to deter thieves from your property, some alarms have zone selection, so rooms, you are not using, can be easily alarmed.

Other precautions include protecting your car, again with the weather being very hot we all tend to leave the windows down on our cars, well who wants to get into a boiling hot car? Thieves love this time of year as all they have to do is walk past a car with the window down and help themselves. It happens in seconds, so don’t give the thieves a chance, roll your windows up and always keep your valuables out of sight.