Keeping safe

 

This page is part of our Young Asylum Seeker Welcome Pack – if you are confused about anything you read in this page, talk to your social worker or personal advisor and they will go through it with you.

Here in Devon, Devon and Cornwall Police Services are here to help you and when you contact them, you will be treated with respect. It’s their job to keep people safe, protect people’s property and investigate crime.

There are many policing teams around Devon with Police Stations in Exeter, Tiverton, Honiton, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Newton Abbott, Torquay and Kingsbridge. In these stations there are public facing officers which means you can speak to a person about a concern, or to ask general police related question.

It is a good idea to look at the Police website as this offers a wide range of advice. You can access the Devon Cornwall police website website. On here you can also access LiveChat (web chat service) which will connect you to their contact centre where you can ask a non-urgent question or report a non-urgent crime that has happened to you or someone else. A non-urgent crime is a crime that is not happening now, and no one is being threatened or harmed at the time. You can also report this by emailing 101@dc.police.uk .

If you experience disrespect towards you because of your culture, beliefs or because of the colour of your skin, you have a right to report this to the Police.

 

In an emergency, like if a crime is happening in front of you, or if someone is in immediate danger – call 999 and ask for the police.

 

Whilst living in Devon and the UK everyone is expected to respect our laws and culture. We know that there will be some differences between what you are used to in your home country and the ages at which you are allowed to do certain things. We thought it would be helpful to list some of the important laws that may affect you below:

  • Driving a moped (under 50cc): 16 years (licence and insurance needed)
  • Driving a motorbike or car: 17 years (licence and insurance needed)
  • Buying alcohol in a pub or shop: 18 years (ID may be asked for)
  • Drinking alcohol in a pub as part of a meal if accompanied by an adult: 16 years (restricted to one drink of beer, wine or cider only)
  • Having sex: 16 years. Sex with anyone under 13 is a crime. If you are over 16 and your partner is under 16, then you are breaking the law. Whatever your age, you can only have sex with someone who is happy to have sex with you. If they do not want to have sex or ask you to stop, it is a crime to continue.
  • It is against the law to take or share sexual photos without consent. You should ask consent before taking any photos and also before sharing any photos online.
  • Buying cigarettes or vapes: 18 years
  • Getting married: 18 years. Every individual has a right to marry whoever they want, regardless of race, sex or religion but you cannot be married to more than one person at a time.
  • Taking non-prescription drugs: this is illegal at all ages.
  • It is against the law to carry a knife in public for all ages.
  • It is against the law to treat people in a bad or discriminatory way because of where they come from, their gender identity (male, female, transgender, non-binary) sexuality (gay, lesbian, bisexual), religion, political views, age or disability.