Jo Coles, York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, is calling on the public to share their views on violence and community safety in York and North Yorkshire. This year’s survey also includes specific questions about online safety and Violence Against Women and Girls.
Anyone who has been a victim of violence, felt or feels unsafe or has been affected by violent crime can take part in the survey to help improve services and support going forward.
The survey is open until Sunday 27 September 2026 and can be accessed here:
In last year’s survey, 76% of respondents’ selections were that they felt most safe in their local area. The most experienced crime was Anti-Social Behaviour with fear of serious violence, with 19% of selections. This year’s survey will be used to continue to inform our local approach and to reduce violence in the future.
Under the Serious Violence Duty introduced by the Government in January 2023, the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has a statutory duty to convene partners to address levels of violence. The partnership includes North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Probation services, North Yorkshire Council, City of York Council and the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. The Partnership refreshed the Strategic Needs Assessment in April this year.
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime said:“Serious violence has a devastating impact on victims, their families and our communities. While levels of serious violence in York and North Yorkshire remain relatively low, every incident is one too many and has a lasting effect on those involved. Over the past year, David Skaith, the Mayor and I have continued to work with partners to understand and tackle the causes of violence, helping to keep our communities safe. The Government has set an ambitious target to halve serious violence and having an accurate picture of what is happening in our area is important to ensuring we play our part in achieving that goal. Please take a few minutes to tell us how safe you feel, wherever you live or work in our county and whether you've been affected by violent crime over the last year. Every response will help us to do more to keep people safe in our region."
Additional information
The definition of serious violence for York and North Yorkshire reflects issues identified within the local area, and the impact and prevalence of different types of serious violence.
Therefore, the following crimes are included in our definition of serious violence and were used to inform our Serious Violence Strategy: homicide; violence with injury (attempted murder, endangering life, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, administering poison with intent to injure, non-fatal strangulation and suffocation); domestic abuse; rape and sexual offences; weapon related violence, including weapon possession; arson endangering life; and stalking and harassment.
Violence against women and girls includes crimes such as domestic abuse, rape, sexual violence, abuse and exploitation, and stalking which most often affect women and girls and are typically committed by men. However, it’s vital to ensure all voices of victims of violence, no matter who they are, are listened to and believed. Men, boys, and non-binary people can also be victims, and women can be perpetrators too.
The Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan for 2025 – 2029, sets out the strategic direction of North Yorkshire Police by identifying four key priorities over the next four years, these are:
- Focus on Prevention and Early Intervention
Tackling the root causes of crime in York and North Yorkshire through education, community programmes, and early intervention to prevent crime before it occurs and intervene early when it does. - Protect the Public
Protecting the public of York and North Yorkshire and improving trust and confidence in policing by focusing on specific crime outcomes/themes that the public said were most important. - Work with Partners
Working with our partners to ensure a collaborative approach to identifying and protecting the most vulnerable people in York and North Yorkshire and to ensure all victims of crime receive appropriate care and support. - Build Stronger Communities
Focusing on creating safer communities throughout York and North Yorkshire through proactive policing, partnerships with local organisations, and community engagement.
