A new partnership has been established between mental health charity PTSD Resolution and ASIS UK to bring attention to the mental health challenges faced by security professionals in the UK. ASIS UK, the UK chapter of the world’s largest association for security management professionals, has officially appointed PTSD Resolution as its charity of the year for 2024. This collaboration aims to raise awareness of the alarming rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies among security staff in the country.
A 2020 study conducted by the University of Portsmouth, the largest survey on this topic to date, revealed that 40% of the 750 UK security officers surveyed showed symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study also found that 64% of the officers reported experiencing verbal abuse at least once a month, and 46% had been subjected to physical attacks, beatings, or muggings during their careers.
PTSD Resolution, accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to the Quality Network for Veterans Mental Health Services (QNVMHS), was founded in 2009 to provide free mental health support for armed forces’ veterans, reservists, and their families. The charity has received over 4,000 referrals to date and delivers therapy in an average of seven sessions, with the client and therapist agreeing that no further therapy is needed.
Patrick Rea, campaign director of PTSD Resolution, stated, “As a charity, we have become increasingly involved with the security industry due to the number of veterans who pursue a career in this sector. There may be lingering mental health issues from trauma experienced during military service, or new challenges in current security roles, and that is where we can offer our support.”
Following a successful partnership with ASIS UK since 2021, PTSD Resolution will continue to raise awareness and provide training for employers, line managers, and other personnel. This training will help them 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, expressed, “The expertise provided by PTSD Resolution will be of great value to our members. Through this partnership, we hope to not only directly support those in need but also drive a cultural shift – both within the security sector and beyond – encouraging employees at all levels to be more open about their mental health without the fear of stigma.”
Both partners emphasized that while security roles come with inherent stress, a high incidence of PTSD and trauma-related issues should never be considered the norm. This partnership signifies a zero-tolerance approach to the lack of mental health provision and aims to build psychologically safer, supportive, and resilient security teams across the country.
To learn more about PTSD Resolution and their work, please refer to their Impact Report. With charity number 1202649, PTSD Resolution provides therapy for the mental well-being of forces’ veterans, reservists, and their families. Treatment is free, efficient, and delivered promptly and locally through a network of 200 therapists nationwide, as well as through phone and internet services. The charity also collaborates with organizations to promote the mental well-being of their non-veteran staff upon request.
Established in 2009, the charity is one of the few organizations that provide therapy to veterans struggling with addiction issues or who are incarcerated. They also offer support to family members, including partners and children, who may experience symptoms of trauma from living with a traumatized veteran.
With no salaried staff or assets, PTSD Resolution operates in a lean and efficient manner, using funds solely for therapy delivery and essential research and public information. For more information, please contact www.PTSDresolution.org.
