Police officers perpetrate shocking levels of domestic abuse with impunity, report finds

Police officers perpetrate shocking levels of domestic abuse yet many operate with impunity due to forces failing to properly hold them to account, according to new research.

A new report, by the Centre for Women’s Justice, warns systemic failures within policing continue and police forces are struggling to come to terms with the fact that abuse which occurs off-duty must be tackled.

There are too many instances of police officers dodging penalties in spite of multiple allegations of abuse levied against them, the report warned, with some even being promoted to roles where they oversee policing on rape and domestic abuse.

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, argued it is “appalling and completely unacceptable” that some police officers are perpetrating “the terror of domestic abuse”.

Her interview comes days after The Independent launched a campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse - partnering with charity Refuge to raise ?300,000 to build a safe space for women and help them find their freedom.

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The new report is an attempt to keep tabs on changes to the way forces handle police-perpetrated domestic abuse after the charity published a police super-complaint back in March 2020.

More than 200 victims of police-perpetrated domestic abuse have come forward to the Centre for Women’s Justice since the complaint.

Some 45 per cent of the women who contacted the organisation are police officers or staff - with some saying they are victimised if they report another officer for abuse.

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Many women say the officer they accused sought to criminalise them in retaliation, researchers said.

Lorraine*, who spoke to researchers, said her abusive ex-partner was promoted to the rank of chief inspector even though he had two separate rape allegations made against him from two people with no previous knowledge of one another.

Sally*, a police officer who reported frequent abusive messages from her ex – an officer in the same force - was wrongly told “that’s not harassment, we don’t need to record this as a crime”.

Commenting on the report, Labour’s Ms Phillips said: “Domestic abuse is a horrific crime which often means victims’ closest relationships are a daily torment of fear, coercion, and harm.

“We trust police officers to keep us safe and the fact some are committing the terror of domestic abuse is appalling and completely unacceptable.

“Police standards and culture must urgently improve to regain the confidence of the public in tackling these crimes. The government is committed to working with the police and using every power at our disposal to tackle violence against women and girls, which is a national emergency.”

Harriet Wistrich, founding director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, added: “There are entrenched cultures within policing that are resistant to change and without energetic intervention, they will continue to harbour misogyny and cover up wrongdoing.

“The police and those investigating and recommending change must listen to the voices of victim/survivors in order to understand the extent of harm and failure, if they ever hope to restore trust.”

Discussing the report, deputy chief constable Maggie Blyth, deputy chief executive of the College of Policing, said they are aware “change hasn’t been quick enough” to tackle how forces handle officers accused of violence against women and girls and “much more needs to be done to ensure women and girls feel safe”.

She added: “Since the super-complaint, policing has taken numerous steps to gain and retain the trust and confidence of victims of violence and domestic abuse at the hands of police officers.

“We have made improvements to root out those who are not fit to wear the uniform and ensure our workforce upholds our code of ethics and meets the very highest standards. We will ensure criminal and misconduct investigations are carried out impartially, and it is crucial we listen, support, and adopt a victim-first approach.”

*Lorainne and Sally’s names have been changed to protect their identity

Please donate now to the Brick by Brick campaign, launched by The Independent and charity Refuge, to help raise ?300,000 to build a safe space for women where they can escape domestic abuse, rebuild their lives and make a new future.