New guidelines have been issued within a police force to help reduce victim blaming and misogynistic language when reporting instances of violence against women.
The 'Words Matter' reporting guidelines by Gloucestershire Police were created to "amplify the voices of victims and survivors, place responsibility on the perpetrator, and improve accuracy in its press communications".
Work on the project began in August 2022 in collaboration with the not-for-profit organisation This Ends Now.
Gloucestershire police and crime commissioner Chris Nelson said: "Women are not 'groped' in clubs, men are sexually assaulting them. Women are not 'playing hard to get', men are raping them."
The guidelines relate to the use of language used by the force, and is a guide for communications teams as they provide information to the public and press through witness appeals and publicising outcomes from court.
