Trudy Gittins

Trudy Gittins is a former Detective Sergeant with West Midlands Police who brings 30 years of policing, investigative and safeguarding experience to Indaba Consultancy. She retired in May 2025 as the force’s subject-matter expert for forced marriage and honour-based abuse, having spent much of her career in public protection. Working across the diverse West Midlands, she developed specialist expertise in how honour, family, faith, migration, disability, sexuality and vulnerability can intersect with safeguarding risk. She has consistently highlighted the experiences of victims who may be overlooked, including men, LGBTQ+ people and adults who lack the mental capacity to consent to marriage.

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In 2008, Trudy led the team that secured West Midlands Police’s first Forced Marriage Protection Order, protecting a vulnerable young man who lacked capacity to consent and contributing to one of the earliest national uses of the legislation in such circumstances. She later developed force policy, operational guidance and specialist training on forced marriage, honour-based abuse, mental capacity and protection orders. Her work included organising national conferences, Operation Limelight at Birmingham and London airports, and a significant role in Operation Sentinel, which strengthened frontline responses to hidden harm. She has trained police, social care, health, education, registration and other frontline professionals, and contributed to parliamentary, national and international discussions.