Depty Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball hosting a webchat at part of International Woman’s Day to prevent more tragedies of young women being lured to the Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. Image: Met Police

Counter Terrorism Senior National Coordinator, Helen Ball, is hosting a UK-wide webchat at midday today to build a conversation aimed at preventing young women travelling to Syria.

She says:

We are increasingly concerned about the numbers of young women who have or are intending to travel to Syria.

It is an extremely dangerous place and the reality of the lifestyle they are greeted with when they arrive is far from that promoted online by foreign terrorist groups.

The option of returning home is often taken away from them, leaving families at home devastated and with very few options to secure a safe return for their loved one.

We want to increase their confidence in the police and partners to encourage them to come forward at the earliest opportunity so that we can intervene and help.

She will be joined by Kalsoom Bashir, Inspire Co-Director, and Salam Katbi, a Syrian-born Prevent engagement officer, who with Counter Terrorism policing colleagues is forming an all female panel.

They wish to discuss and take questions about the worrying trend of young women putting themselves and children in grave danger by travelling to Syria, leaving their families devastated.

Join the discussion via Twitter using the hashtag #preventtragedies.