Charity Isle of Man Crimestoppers has launched its new ‘Fearless’ campaign, which looks to enhance anonymity for those providing criminal information.

The dedicated youth programme looks to provide young people with the ability to offer information about crime with 100% guaranteed anonymity.

The organisation is working with partners including the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and the Safeguarding Board, to raise awareness of the service which enables young people to make an anonymous report if they are concerned about crime.

The promotion links with ‘Safeguarding Week’, which began on November 11. It provides an opportunity to inform the island’s young people about the Fearless campaign.

Chair of Isle of Man Crimestoppers, Karen Ramsay, said: ‘Reporting crime can be very difficult for young people.

‘The Office of National Statistics in the UK reported that less than one fifth of children and young people who experience violent crime actually go on to report it to the police.

‘The reasons for this included fear of being labelled a “snitch”, a word which carries a lot of negativity.

‘What the Fearless programme aims to do is to help change the narrative of crime reporting for young people. We are trying to encourage young people to pass on information they may have about a crime. It is not snitching, it is helping to make their community safer.’

Isle of Man Crimestoppers has reassured any young person using the service of the following guarantees:

- 100% anonymity - you are never asked to reveal your name or any personal details.

- They will listen to any information young people have on a crime.

- Calls will not be recorded, are not traced, are free from all phones and do not show up on phone bills.

- IP addresses are masked and can never be traced when reporting information via an online form.

- Specially trained call agents support those offering information through the process and make sure the report contains no information that could identify them.

- Even if a caller’s personal details are given, they will not be recorded.

Karen added: ‘When someone reports something to keep others safe, whether to a trusted adult, the police or via our reporting portal, they are being an active bystander – taking action and preventing harm.

‘Some of the types of crimes that young people may have information about are very serious, such as drugs crime, domestic violence and sexual crimes.

‘In particular, we are concerned that some of these crimes involve children being either exploited or put into very vulnerable positions.’