News

Today (18 March) marks National Child Exploitation Awareness Day, a day which brings together partners to educate, prevent and support victims and families of exploitation. Protecting children from abuse is everyone’s responsibility. That’s why Safe and Sound, Dudley’s Community Safety Partnership, are committed to raising awareness about child exploitation. Child exploitation can come in many forms. It can include child criminal exploitation, child sexual exploitation (CSE),

What is mate crime? Mate crime can happen to anyone, but children and adults with learning difficulties are particularly vulnerable. It occurs when someone pretends to be a friend to gain a person’s trust, but then goes on to abuse, manipulate, or exploit them. From the perpetrator’s perspective the relationship is created with harmful intent. The person responsible may appear to be a friend, carer, or even a family member, but they misuse the relationship for their own benef

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person' ( Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 ). ASB can cause a nuisance without being a crime, such as loitering or noise nuisance. Safe and Sound, Dudley's Community Safety Partnership,  is committed to cracking down on ASB to keep our communities safe and ensure residents and visitors t

Safe and Sound, Dudley’s Community Safety Partnership is highlighting how you can be kind to yourself using the Dudley Take Five Steps. Looking after your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Small, consistent actions can make a big difference in how you feel day to day. Evidence shows that there are five key steps you can take to boost your wellbeing and help you feel more positive, resilient and connected. 1.     Connect with others Str

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Safe and Sound, Dudley’s Community Safety Partnership are reminding people to stay alert to the warning signs of romance fraud and how criminals exploit trust online. What is romance fraud? Romance fraud happens when criminals create fake online profiles to form relationships with their victims. They often appear caring, attentive and genuine, spending weeks or even months building trust and the impression of a real relationship. While t

Tuesday 10 February 2026 marks Safer Internet Day. This year’s theme is “Smart tech, safe choices - exploring the safe and responsible use of AI”. Dudley’s Community Safety Partnership - Safe & Sound is supporting UK Safer Internet Centre  to help keep people safe online. Join in the conversation on social media by using  #SaferInternetDay2026 This Safer Internet Day, we’re exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our everyday lives. We’ll be looking at how AI

This week marks Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week (2-8 February). The national #It’sNotOK  awareness campaign is bringing together partners from across the country to raise awareness of sexual abuse and violence, encouraging people to speak up and to signpost to support. Dudley’s Community Safety Partnership are using this week as an opportunity to remind people that abuse will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be brought to justice. Abuse of any kind can c

Safe & Sound, Dudley’s community safety partnership that incorporates the local police and crime board, is inviting residents, workers, and visitors to help shape the future of community safety in the borough.   Local people are being asked to share their views on what they believe are the most important community safety issues affecting Dudley. These views will help influence priorities and actions aimed at making the borough a safer place for everyone.   The public engageme

Dudley Safe and Sound are proud to continue to support the Safe Place scheme across the borough this year. The scheme, run by Dudley Voices for Choice , provides people with designated Safe Place venues that they can visit when feeling sad, lost, scared, anxious or in need of help. Registered venues include businesses, churches, fire stations, leisure centres, libraries and community centres spread across the borough, as well as a number of other locations. You can find your

Hate crime is a serious issue that affects individuals, families, and entire communities. It is driven by hostility or prejudice and can cause long-lasting emotional and physical harm. Understanding what hate crime is and knowing where to get support are important steps in standing against hate. What Is a Hate Crime? A hate crime occurs when someone is targeted because of hostility or prejudice towards their identity. This an include prejudice based on: Race or ethnicity Reli