Share your views to shape Online Safety Bill

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, John Dwyer is urging people in Cheshire who have been victims of ‘online harms’ to share their views with the Victim’s Commissioner Dame Vera Baird.

The Government defines ‘online harms’ in the draft Online Safety Bill as: user-generated content or behaviour that is illegal or could cause significant physical or psychological harm to a person. This can include abusive activities such as intimate image abuse, online harassment and stalking, coercive behaviour, cyber bullying and trolling and online hate.

John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said: “In my Police and Crime Plan I make clear my commitment to tackling cyber bullying and other online harms and I encourage everyone in our communities who has suffered online abuse to take this survey and shape our police and victims’ services.

“Online crimes and those defined as online harms are constantly evolving. By sharing your feedback to the Victim’s Commissioner we can ensure that services can also evolve and victims are given as much support as possible to help them achieve justice.”

The survey is open to all victims of any form of online abuse and harassment and explores different types of online abuse, the impact these have on the victim, and the reporting behaviours of victims.

The results and findings will be published on the Victims' Commissioner’s website, with a view to putting forward the victim perspective and informing public debate as the Online Safety Bill progresses through Parliament.

Dame Vera Baird, the Victims’ Commissioner said: “It’s vitally important that we understand the victim perspective and that the victims’ voice is actively sought and considered by lawmakers when they are shaping any legislation in this area. With this survey, we will capture the victim’s voice and work to ensure that victims and their interests remain at the heart of the debate.”

You can take the survey here:

https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/home/survey-online-harms/

It closes on 20 February 2022.