Studland Beach-Users’ Action Group (SBUAG)

A Sub-Committee of the Purbeck Community Safety Action Group,

established under the Crime and Disorder Partnership for Dorset

Wording agreed at SBUAG meeting on Thursday 11^th January 2007

NATURISTS UNITE TO RECLAIM THE STUDLAND NUDIST BEACH!

Naturist beach-users at Studland Beach in Dorset are working in partnership with police, the National Trust, and Purbeck District Council to clamp down on offensive and illegal sexual behaviour which is ruining their enjoyment of the beach.

Naturists from Studland United Nudists, Castaways, and British Naturism, want to encourage all naturists to report any sexual activity they see on the beach or in the dunes, and they want to reassure beach-users that the National Trust wardens and the local police have promised swift action.

Already the police are using penalty notices and warning letters as well as prosecuting offenders, and the National Trust has its own sanctions such as banning orders which it is using to try to clear the beach of perverts.

Some years ago many naturists felt unable to trust the motives of police patrolling Studland Beach. However, several years of productive meetings, first under the auspices of the National Trust and more recently as part of the Studland Beach Users’ Action Group (a sub-committee of the Purbeck Community Safety Action Group) have reassured the naturists that the police, the parish council and the District Council recognise the difference between law-abiding naturists wanting to relax and enjoy the beach, and people visiting Studland because they wrongly assume that the presence of a naturist beach means that they can abuse the location by stripping off solely for sexual purposes.

Now the naturist groups that are part of the Action Group are calling on all genuine naturists to help by reporting ALL offences promptly, and co-operating fully by giving witness statements. Many of the Studland Beach offenders are regulars but get away with it because people don’t want to see a complaint right through.

One of the naturists attending the group, Tamara Essex from Dorset, said, “We want naturists to report obscene activities immediately, not just sit there feeling uncomfortable or deciding not to use Studland any more. It’s a fantastic beach and it’s time genuine naturists reclaimed it back from the pervs who hang around the beach and the dunes spoiling our day.” She emphasised that the police and the NT wardens had promised they would respond quickly to any calls, and that 2007 would see a stepping up of overt and covert police presence on the beach to stamp out crime on Studland Beach.