Off-duty vicars urged to forego dog collars for safety's sake

Vicars are being advised to stop wearing dog collars when not working, to make themselves less vulnerable to attack.

National Churchwatch, an independent group that advises clergy of all denominations on security, said priests were often targeted because they were considered unlikely to fight back.

Five vicars have been murdered in the past decade, and a 2001 academic study found that 12% of clergy had suffered some form of violence.



Nick Tolson, from National Churchwatch, urged priests to make themselves less obvious targets by removing their dog collars when off-duty.

He has experienced resistance to this idea from some vicars, who see how they dress as a way of assuring people they are available to help.

One vicar, from Willesden, north-west London, said his vicarage had been machine-gunned. But he still did not believe he had experienced violence.