Mental health charity PTSD Resolution and ASIS UK have announced a partnership for 2024 to highlight the mental health issues experienced by many security professionals across the UK
ASIS UK, the UK chapter of the world’s largest association for security management professionals, has appointed PTSD Resolution as its charity of the year for 2024. This collaboration will see the two organisations work together to raise awareness of the disturbingly high rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal tendencies among UK security staff.
According to a 2020 study by the University of Portsmouth - the largest survey on this topic to date - 40% of the 750 UK security officers surveyed exhibited symptoms aligned to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over 64% reported experiencing verbal abuse at least once a month, while 46% had been subjected to physical attacks, beatings or muggings during their careers.
PTSD Resolution was founded in 2009 to provide free mental health support for armed forces’ veterans, reservists and their families. The charity is accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to the Quality Network for Veterans Mental Health Services (QNVMHS). It has had over 4,000 referrals to date and delivers therapy in an average of seven sessions, where the client and therapist agree that no further therapy is required.
Patrick Rea, campaign director of PTSD Resolution, says: “As a charity, we are increasingly engaged with the security industry because of the number of veterans that take up a career in the sector. There can sometimes be residual mental health issues from trauma experienced during military service, or new problems in current security roles, which is where we can help.”
Following a successful partnership with ASIS UK since 2021, the charity will develop awareness and provide training for employers, line managers and other personnel, helping them to identify and respond to mental health issues and make therapy available to ASIS UK’s 800-plus members.
Letitia Emeana, Chairwoman of ASIS UK’s Board of Directors, said: “The expertise offered by PTSD Resolution will provide great value to our members. Through this partnership, we hope to not only directly support those in need, but also drive a culture shift - both across the security sector and more widely - encouraging staff at all levels to be more open about their mental health without fear of stigma.”
Both partners emphasised that while security roles come with inevitable stresses, a high incidence of PTSD and trauma-related issues should never be an accepted norm. This partnership signifies a zero-tolerance approach to the lack of mental health provision, aiming to build psychologically safer, supportive and resilient security teams across the country.
