ASK FOR ANI

sometimes this can be due to abuse suffered in the household.

Schemes such as Ask for Ani are implemented to allow an individual a discreet way of obtaining help from an organisation. Research from the Office for National Statistics shows domestic-abuse related crimes rose 6% in the year ending March 2021. Demand on domestic-abuse related hotlines show an increase of 22% of people it supports during the same period. A domesticabuse charity reports that 1 in 4 women will suffer domestic-abuse in their lifetime (1 in 6 for men). Domestic abuse isn’t just limited to physical abuse, it could be coercive control, financial control, or emotional abuse.

JTR recognised that there is a growing issue in abuse related vulnerabilities, and our safeguarding measures needed to reflect this.

JTR Collections have since implemented the “Ask for Ani” codeword scheme throughout the business and within policies, procedures and training. All correspondence that is sent to the property will have the “Ask for Ani” logo attached. All documentation the agents leave at the property will bear the Ask for Ani emblem. All internal and external staff have received training on how to respond to a customer if they ask to speak with Ani. If the request to speak to Ani happens whilst the enforcement agent is knocking on the door and in person, the agent is trained in how to respond to this.

The role of an enforcement agent is an important and varied role. Legislation clearly defines vulnerability and the requirement to actively identify vulnerabilities affecting an individual’s ability to pay. The Ask for Ani codeword scheme allows us to identify and understand if a customer needs to speak to the police or would like help to access support services, like national or local domestic abuse helplines.