A report reveals that more than 1,500 English police officers have been accused of violence against women in six months

More than 1,500 police officers have been charged with violent crimes against women and girls in the past six months. These complaints affect 0.7% of all police in England and Wales. The cases range from sexual assaults to the use of excessive forceduring an arrest. Of all these complaints, only 13 agents were removed from their duties, according to data published by the National Council of Police Chiefs (NPCC), the body within the police that is in charge of setting the direction. of the police and establish the relationship between the police and the citizenry.

55% of the cases were complaints for misconduct filed by companies. ;eroswithin the police, either as victims or as witnesses. While the remaining 45% were complaints made by citizens. Of the complaints from colleagues, half were for incidents outside working hours and 38% for some type of sexual abuse. Of the public complaints, two-thirds involved the use of force when arrested or handcuffed, while the rest were for sexual harassment and abuse.

Deputy Chief of Police and NPCC Director Maggie Blyth called the case. the “disturbing” data, in statements to the BBC. “We need really strong investigations to push forward and suspend anyone we believe is working for our organization and shouldn't or has been convicted of charges related to violence against women. women and girls,” she said. “We can't be so complacent,” he said.

Serial Rapist

These data come after the upheaval caused by the cases of officers David Carrick, a serial rapist imprisoned for violent and degrading sexual crimes against a a dozen women over two decades, and Wayne Couzens, who is serving a life sentence for kidnapping, raping and murdering Sarah Everard. That murder perpetrated two years ago provoked a riot. numerous protests against the police by women who felt unsafe on the streets.

During the trials, it was learned that both officers accumulated complaintsboth for misconduct within the police force and for sexual abuse outside of work, in the case of Carrick, or public scandal, in the case of Couzens. All the complaints were dismissed and at no time were the agents warned or suspended from their duties. Those cases ended with the head of the London Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick, who was forced to resign by the Mayor of London.

Internal investigation

After the popular rejection provoked by the Couzens and Carrick cases, the investigation began. An internal investigation by the police was carried out, which ended that there was racism and systemic misogynyin that case at Scotland Yard, the London police. They also found more than 1,000 cases of officers accused of domestic violence or sexual abuse who continued to patrol the streets. The new police chief said that the perception of the police had to be changed. Now these data are being published that suggest that nothing has changed.

Farah Nazeer, the executive director of Women's Aid, which is an organization dedicated to watching over women victims of domestic violence, said the statistics revealed “the staggering scale of violence against women and girls” and had “deeply troubling implications for women's already low levels of trust in the justice system.” criminal justice”. For her part, Blyth expressed & oacute; The need to regain the trust of citizens and, in particular of women, in the police.