What is Prevent?
PREVENT is one of the four elements of CONTEST, the government's counter terrorism strategy. The main aim of PREVENT is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism by:
Responding to the challenges we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
Providing practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensuring they are given appropriate advice and support
Working with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online, and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.
The Prevent Duty is a national response to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views. It provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support, and works in partnership with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online, and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.
Radicalisation
All schools, colleges and universities have a legal duty to educate students about extremist behaviour and to report any concerns about students who may be at risk of radicalisation.
Radicalisation is a process by which individuals, often young people, move from supporting moderate mainstream views to supporting extreme ideological views.
This process can occur online through exposure to and engagement with violent ideological propaganda, or offline through extremist networks. Radicalisation makes those at risk more likely to support terrorism and violent acts of extremism, and possibly even commit such criminal acts themselves.
Anyone can be radicalised, but factors such as being easily influenced and impressionable make children and young people particularly vulnerable.
Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem or be victims of bullying or discrimination. They may feel:
isolated and lonely or wanting to belong
unhappy about themselves and what others might think of them
embarrassed or judged about their culture, gender, religion, or race
stressed or depressed
fed up of being bullied or treated badly by other people or by society
angry at other people or the government
confused about what they are doing
pressured to stand up for other people who are being oppressed
Recognising signs of radicalisation:
The following could describe general teenage behaviour, however, together with other signs may mean a young person is being radicalised:
out of character changes in dress, behaviour, and changes in their friendship group
losing interest in previous activities and friendships
secretive behaviour and switching screens when you come near
The following signs are more specific to radicalisation:
owning mobile phones or devices they cannot account for
showing sympathy for extremist causes
advocating extremist messages
glorifying violence
accessing extremist literature and imagery
showing a mistrust of mainstream media reports and belief in conspiracy theories
appearing angry about governmental policies, especially foreign policy
National
Regional
Local
The most serious threat is from Islamist terrorism and extremism
Extreme right-wing terrorism
On-line extremism which is of significant concern and growing as a result of the pandemic
INCELS which are an emerging concern
Self-Initiated terrorism, which is the most likely threat to the UK
Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire
Right wing extremism across the region is most prominent
Self-Initiated Terrorism continues to be a priority in the NW with the threat coming from both Right Wing and Islamist terrorism.
Online threat features in both Islamist and Right-Wing investigations.
Extreme right-wing rhetoric is still the most prevent ideology in Cheshire cases, significantly outweighing Islamic Extremism
National Action is a British right-wing extremist and neo-Nazi terrorist organisation based in Warrington.
The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and by its Arabic acronym Da'ish or Daesh
P – Promotion of British Values and positive relationships
R – Refer any concerns via safeguarding to relevant authorities
E – Education for students via induction and reviews
V – Vetting and removal of any posters or other materials of an extremist nature
E – Environment is safe and secure with sufficient security procedures and online filters
N – News monitoring for any concerns
T – Training of staff to raise awareness of the signs and risks
Further links & reading:
www.actearly.uk for support and guidance on radicalisation