With reports of violence against women and girls increasing, a group of officers are guarding large-scale London events this summer
In the hours leading up to Dua Lipa’s first headline show at Wembley stadium the stifling heat was as striking as the colours. Fans resplendent in costumes inspired by their idol milled around the concourse, and groups of women took selfies, jigging with excitement.
But among the jollity, specialist Met Officers interspersed in the crowd were on the hunt for something different: “We’re here to spot predatory men.”
On the lookout for offences ranging from upskirting to sexual assault, seven specially trained officers stood on standby as scores of female fans, most of them aged between 14 and 30, filtered into the venue. They were there as part of an initiative billed as “the first of its kind” by the Met.
The idea is to combat violence against women and girls in real time. According to the force, reports rose by more than a third between 2018 and 2023. By putting officers in places where women may be vulnerable, while they are distracted while dancing with friends or having enjoyed a drink at a concert, officers are hoping to bring down numbers by stopping attacks before they happen.
