The India Protocol safeguarding initiative is our core and priority mission in Cheltenham's night-time economy. Utilising a proactive approach, ascertain and assist method, the India Protocol is responsible for helping to safeguard thousands of vulnerable women in Cheltenham at night.

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India Chipchase was coerced away from outside of a nightclub in Northampton in 2016 before being raped and murdered. India was failed that fateful night as many opportunities were missed that could have identified there was a coercion event underway.

 

India's murder was a turning point for Cheltenham Guardians who in 2016 were already prioritising the safeguarding of lone females at night. It became clear to our team that our female safeguarding delivery had to adopt an even more targeted, proactive and robust approach. And so the India Protocol was born - now the most proactive female safeguarding initiative in any night-time economy in the United Kingdom today.

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Utilising the India Protocol over 30% of our service users are identified before they themselves have approached us for assistance. This proactive engagement of women in the night-time economy ensures more aggressive identification of developing issues therefore removing any possibility of escalation.

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Recent changes in local population dynamics have created new challenges for the team as there has been a substantial increase in men (operating alone and in groups) approaching women leaving venues in the town centre. We have increased the frequency of patrols in the town centre, Winchcombe Street, the A46 and the pedestrian route between the town centre and Pittville Student Village in order to help mitigate this emergency and are compiling a report which we will forward to the Home Office with our concerns.