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Young people caught committing anti-social behaviour in Babergh will now be shown a DVD illustrating the impact their actions have on their victims and the community.
Babergh District Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team and the Sudbury and Great Cornard Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) have worked with three local families – all who have been victims of anti-social behaviour – to create a powerful seven-minute-film, called Behind the Broken Window.
The film shows the victims talking candidly about the impact anti-social behaviour have had on their lifestyle, health and mental wellbeing. It also illustrates the type of behaviour one family suffered over a short period of time - from fireworks through letterboxes to verbal abuse and damage to their property.
The film was the brainchild of Sally Watson, Babergh District Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Network Officer, and was funded by the Babergh Community Safety Partnership and Suffolk Police Authority.
Mrs Watson said: “I interview more than 70 perpetrators of anti-social behaviour each year.
“And, in general, perpetrators don’t consider the effects their actions have on their victims, so the aim of the film is to allow them to hear genuine accounts from people who have suffered, and the lasting effects that are caused.
“The victims have been very brave speaking out about their experiences but wanted to do something to prevent others going through the trauma they had been through.”
The film will be played to young perpetrators and their parents when they attend police stations in Babergh for anti-social behaviour interviews and reprimands, as well as local schools for Safer Neighbourhood Team education visits.
Pc Verity Pearson, Sudbury and Great Cornard SNT officer, who has worked closely with the victims introduces the DVD and closes by asking the audience to consider how they would feel if their own families were these victims.
PC Verity Pearson said: "Anti-social behaviour is an issue that affects our whole community. It ruins the lives of the victims affected and puts strain on the local emergency services. It is a serious issue that needs addressing and as the saying goes, 'prevention is better than a cure.'
"With this DVD, the students get to hear from the victims first hand, and hopefully this will prevent them from engaging in such activities in the future.
“I believe this is a truly powerful film and has even made me personally review my policing methods in relation to these events. As I say in the film: ‘It's your community and only as good as you make it.’" ENDS
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