Call to 'confront' disrespect against females

Jasmine Lowe,East Yorkshire and Lincolnshireand
David McKenna,East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
News imageGetty Images Three young people lent against a building with a girl with long blonde hair looking away from her friends.Getty Images
The initiative encourages men and boys to "step up" and be "part of the solution" to stop abuse towards women and girls

A campaign to challenge inappropriate behaviour against women and girls has been launched across East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.

The Just Don't campaign is part of an initiative from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Humberside.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Jonathan Evison said it was a call to men and boys to think about their actions.

He added: "It is not enough to simply not be violent. We need men to challenge harmful jokes, confront disrespect and step in when they see abuse."

News imageClose up shot of a campaign poster with a yellow background. It feature an image of a young man and the slogan: "What? I was just telling her to smile more."
The campaign features posters, which will be put up in pubs and schools

The campaign, which encourages men and boys to "step up, challenge their mates" and "change the culture", is being rolled out across the region, including in pubs, restaurants and schools.

It includes posters, with slogans such as 'I only text her ten times' or 'I was only staring at her', and urges men and boys to be "part of the solution".

Deputy PCC Leo Hammond said: "That's not normal behaviour."

He told the BBC: "The vast majority of our young men and boys understand that, but let's call out the minority who don't, and help them learn what is appropriate behaviour when it comes to interacting with young girls and women, and also in relationships."

According to Mr Hammond, 86% of women and girls had experienced harassment at some point in their lives.

He said he hoped the campaign, which also includes social media videos, would help to bring about change.

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