Coastal safety guide to support victims of domestic abuse

The aim of the initiative is to provide support to residents and visitors of coastal Lincolnshire who are victims of domestic abuse.

The intended outcomes are to reduce the number of domestic abuse reports and improve victim safeguarding. 

The Lincolnshire coast receives an estimated 3.5 million seasonal visitors each year, placing significant pressure on policing, health, and partner services. A five-year review conducted by Lincolnshire Police revealed that domestic abuse was a consistent prevalent crime type. The review also found that the number of domestic abuse reports increased significantly between May and September and are concentrated in coastal resorts. The number of incidents typically peak late at night and often involve partners or family members. 

In response, Lincolnshire Police developed the coastal safety guide, as a preventative partnership approach. The guide uses the Operation Atlantis principles of bringing together crime prevention, public safety, and safeguarding messaging, supported by targeted operational activity and strong multi-agency collaboration. The purpose of the guide is to create a single comprehensive resource that can support residents and visitors in accessing guidance support. 

Developing the coastal safety guide

partnership with the graphics and print department. A structured approach was taken, beginning with a review of existing materials and intelligence from the force and partner agencies. This included a horizon scanning exercise of crime prevention advice, safeguarding messaging and coastal safety guidance that had previously been delivered through separate channels. Instead of duplicating content, the development of the guide focuses on enhancing and consolidating information. The content has been selected and adapted to ensure it is easy to understand and relevant to a coastal audience.

The designing of the guide was undertaken by the graphics and print department, which allowed for flexibility, cost efficiency, and focused development. Draft versions were reviewed by the NPT and refined to ensure clarity, visual engagement, and practical usability. Partner organisations such as Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Specialist Service and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have engaged throughout the development process to ensure the messaging aligns with their broader campaigns.

Coastal safety guide

The guide has been designed to reflect the unique environment of the Lincolnshire coastline, while supporting broader policing objectives. The guide includes information on:

• beach conditions
• sea awareness
• environmental awareness on how to interact safely and responsibly with wildlife
• swimming between lifeguarded flags
• accident prevention
• promotion of the Sandi Starfish scheme (preventing and reuniting missing children)
• caravan and holiday accommodation risks such as fire safety and emergency planning

Within the guide, there is a dedicated section on domestic abuse support. The content is designed to be discreet, accessible, and non-intrusive, recognising that individuals may engage with such information privately and in their own time. There is a QR code embedded to enable measurement of engagement and referral patterns.

A dual-format distribution strategy has been adopted to maximise reach and accessibility. The guide has been produced as a PDF document and a physical booklet, to ensure it can be accessed across multiple settings. The digital version has been circulated to schools, colleges, and children’s centres within and outside of the county of Lincolnshire. This approach has enabled efficient sharing of information, with partner agencies distributing the guide via their own networks. Physical copies have been placed within caravan parks, specifically within rental units, to ensure that visitors encounter the guide as part of their visit.

To further enhance visibility, tri-fold tabletop materials have been introduced in high-footfall family venues such as cafés, restaurants, and entertainment spaces. The materials reinforce the three key messages of beach safety, caravan safety and domestic abuse support.

Cost

During the first year, Lincolnshire Police provided £2,200, with £1,600 allocated for the printing of 4,000 booklets and a further £600 for the development of 2,000 tri-fold tabletop materials. The use of in-house design and print services has ensured efficient use of resources and reduced external costs.

For the second year, the guide has received external funding from UK Border Force. Their involvement reflects the broader relevance of coastal safety and demonstrates the value of the initiative as a platform for multi-agency messaging.

While there has been an increase in visitor numbers, participating holiday caravan parks have observed a reduction in the number of domestic abuse incidents reported. 

Observations

• victims who have accessed the guide have been supported at an earlier opportunity
• children have been indirectly safeguarded
• Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Specialist Service have measured a 150% increase in the use of the QR support code, used by 144 individuals 
• after the first year, there has been an increase in the number of holiday and caravan parks who have expressed an interest in taking part in the initiative

• It is essential to encourage venues, schools and local authorities to participate at the earliest opportunity. All participating organisations and businesses have welcomed the initiative. 
• A challenge for the force has been identifying and conducting engagement opportunities to encourage organisations and business to adopt the initiative.
• Combining data, partnership working, and using a prevention-led design has contributed towards the continued success of the initiative.