How are we meant to trust anyone when we can’t even trust our police forces? A report released by Victim Support earlier this year found that 54% of women lack confidence that the police will properly investigate reports of domestic abuse, while a further 50% said the same about sexual assault reports. Who can blame them? Just this year alone four police officers have been convicted of targeting and having sexual relationships with domestic abuse victims, clearly taking advantage of their position of power.
A separate 2023 survey from YouGov found that 44% of women don’t trust individual police officers, while 51% of women don’t trust London’s Met Police at all.
Perhaps it was Sarah Everard’s murder in March 2021 by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens that began this erosion of trust, yet police officers have proved time and time again over the ensuing two years that there are numerous offenders in their forces. Earlier this year, officer David Carrick was found guilty of raping 48 women across a 17-year span. In March, it was revealed that there had been complaints made against 1,500 active police officers in the UK in the six months between October 2021 to April 2022.
While new misconduct guidelines have been introduced in order to stop violence against women and girls – both the public and female members of the police force – until it stops, we will remain angry and document just how much the police have failed women and girls, below.
July 2023: A former police detective has been found guilty of raping a 12-year-old child.
In July 2023, paedophile Stephen Hardy, 46, was found guilty of rape, sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity between December 2012 and June 2020. Hardy has the denied 20 charges of sexual abuse, Liverpool Crown Court heard and will be sentenced in September.
Jo Palmiero, senior crown prosecutor for CPS North West’s rape and serious sexual abuse unit, said Hardy was in a position of trust, and manipulated his victim.
She said: “Stephen Hardy gained the trust of the child before subjecting them to sickening sexual abuse, with no thought for the lasting damage his abuse would cause. Hardy was a police officer, in a position of trust, who manipulated and controlled his victim.”
July 2023: Black mother wrongly accused of dodging bus fare handcuffed in front of distressed child
On 21 July, a Black mother was arrested and detained by two Metropolitan Police officers in front of her distressed child after she was falsely accused of not paying her bus fare.
Disturbing footage circulated on social media showing the young boy crying while separated from his mother as she shouted: “What the hell, get off me, what are you doing? What the f*** is going on?”, sparking outrage online.
The police said in a statement that the woman was asked to provide her ticket but failed to do so, and was arrested on suspicion of fare evasion and handcuffed. The woman was later de-arrested when it was confirmed that she had, in fact, paid for her ticket.