The growing problem of sexual assault by police in the UK
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Concerns about the increase in reports of sexual assault by police continue to rise.
According to the Guardian over 1,500 police officers were accused of violence against women in the space of just six months, with less than 1% of those accused being sacked.
Statistics released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) revealed that nearly two-thirds of the complaints made by members of the public concerned the use of force, 9% involved harassing behaviour, 6% related to assault and 5% concerned the abuse of position for a sexual purpose.
55% of the allegations were classed as ‘conduct matters’ (usually raised by a colleague within the police force), with the other 45% being complaints from the public.
19% of the conduct allegations related to sexual assault, 13% to sexual harassment and 6% to abuse of position for a sexual purpose.
According to the data a large proportion of both types of matter had yet to be finalised. Of those that had been determined the vast majority were thrown out. In fact only 13 police officers and police staff had been sacked for misconduct, and none of these related to a public complaint.
The NPCC coordinator for violence against women and girls has said she wants more police officers investigated, disciplined and sacked for crimes and misconduct against women and girls.
She is quoted by the newspaper as saying that the statistics, “reinforce the urgency and importance of our current mission to lift the stones and root abusers and corrupt individuals out of policing. The vast majority of officers and staff are professional and committed but I know it is shocking to hear about any potential predators in policing and that this can further shake fragile trust.”
Steps are being taken by the NPCC and College of Policing to improve responses to violence against women and girls. The police force accepts that sexism and misogyny in its ranks must be urgently tackled, particularly in the wake of high profile cases, such as the prolific sex offender and former police officer David Carrick.
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