Honour for former police officer who spearheaded work to protect women from violence

Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson has received the MBE.Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson has received the MBE.
Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson has received the MBE.
A ROTHERHAM policing specialist who has spearheaded work to protect South Yorkshire residents from risks including forced marriage and honour-based abuse has been recognised for her work with an MBE.

Suzanne Jackson, a former detective inspector and now South Yorkshire Police’s domestic abuse risk assessor manager, has led work to identify and protect those in danger of abuse, including female genital mutilation.

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The MBE, announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours, was awarded for her outstanding policing services to the prevention of violence against women and girls.

She retired as a police officer in 2019 and returned to her current role, which includes serving as the force’s lead on honour-based abuse.

Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson who has received the MBE, pictured with colleagues.Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson who has received the MBE, pictured with colleagues.
Domestic abuse risk assessor manager Suzanne Jackson who has received the MBE, pictured with colleagues.

Before her retirement, Suzanne, who lives in Rotherham and works from the Maltby station, had already gained extensive experience in dealing with domestic and honour-based abuse, having had a career-long interest in tackling abuse.

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She has been credited with transforming the way the force deals with cases of forced marriage, honour-based abuse and female genital mutilation in recent years, alongside her role leading a team of domestic abuse risk assessors, who help protect those at risk in that area.

Her work has resulted in many children and adults being protected from risk both in South Yorkshire and nationwide.

Among her successes has been the development of new ways to asses risks around FGM, which have been adopted by police and other agencies nationally.

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She first secured a Forced Marriage Protection Order, for a women who was regarded as being at risk of suicide, in 2014, and a similar order for a man, in 2018, the first for a male in the UK.

Also in 2018, she was successful in securing the repatriation of a British-born teenage girl who had been taken to Pakistan for a forced marriage.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Suzanne’s unwavering public service has changed and saved the lives of many.”

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She said the response from family, friends and colleagues to being awarded the MBE had been “overwhelming”.

"It puts the spotlight on issuse affecting women and girls around the world, not just locally.”

To date, police have obtained 23 FGM protection orders, to provide safeguards for children and 35 forced marriage protection orders.

The force also now has 150 officers specially trained to spot signs of honour-based abuse.

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