As part of the serious violence funding for 2023-24, the Serious Violence Partnership for Derby and Derbyshire ran the Walk Away campaign. The campaign was created by Leicestershire Police and Magpie Creative Agency in October 2023 and following a successful run, Walk Away went national. The campaign, including a full suite of resources, was adopted by a number of police forces across the UK. Derby and Derbyshire have seen an increase in the number of ‘one-punch’ encounters in the night time economy. These incidents can result in serious injuries and even death.
Research shows that most incidents of serious violence on a night out are caused by an error in judgement, a spilled drink or a rude comment. The campaign aims to target potential offenders by encouraging them to simply ‘Walk Away’.
We want to encourage peer groups to support each other in making different choices and encourage individuals to recognise those personal trigger points.
The campaign targets males aged 18-30 as data has shown this demographic has an increased risk of being involved in serious violence within the night time economy (NTE).
Key campaign elements:
- Looking out for those early signs
- Awareness of their peer group dynamics and personalities
- Normalise the conversation around potential triggers
- Building positive social norms, not shame culture
- Encouraging early de-escalatory actions and to walk away
When deciding which locations to target in Derby and Derbyshire, the VRU took a data-backed approach. Derby City, Chesterfield, Ilkeston and Ripley were identified as the top four areas for NTE violence.
Derbyshire – NTE Crime (January 2021 – December 2023), NTE Sub Group – Crime and ASB Report, February 2024
| NTE Area | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Grand total |
| Derby City | 1,677 | 2,067 | 1,936 | 5,680 |
| Chesterfield | 920 | 1,033 | 1,239 | 3,192 |
| Ilkeston | 556 | 597 | 685 | 1,838 |
| Ripley | 525 | 574 | 613 | 1,712 |
| Matlock | 309 | 315 | 377 | 1,001 |
Derbyshire NTE crime markers, NTE Sub Group – Crime and ASB Report, February 2024
| Marker | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Grand total |
| Alcohol | 2719 | 3147 | 3111 | 8977 |
| VAWG | 2740 | 2838 | 2949 | 8527 |
| Domestic Abuse | 2130 | 2039 | 2240 | 6409 |
| Drugs | 896 | 917 | 1099 | 2912 |
| Vulnerable | 651 | 846 | 1071 | 2568 |
As demonstrated by the data set above, alcohol plays a significant role in NTE violence, accounting for 8,977 incidents across from 2021 – 2023. The objective of Walk Away is to help de-escalate these incidents and encourage self-control.
All guidance and advice for keeping peers safe can be found on the official campaign website.