Zoe Mitchell
Use of the phrase ‘a few bad apples’ is one that is becoming increasingly familiar in British society to minimise allegations of harmful practice. One of the most recent institutional scandals to rock the British government, evidenced by the Gray report (2022) was its rule-breaking during national lockdowns. The public’s faith has been tested regarding the government’s ability to act in accordance with national expectations. As such, doubts have also been cast on its ability to govern and respond to institutions similarly rocked by societal mistrust and enhanced public scrutiny, such as the Metropolitan Police force. This blog will explore the wider implications police failings have on the ability of victims of sexual violence and abuse to come forward and report, with a specific focus on the recent findings of the Casey Review.
Where it started
In 2021, the Met police came under major scrutiny following the kidnap, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard by serving Met Police officer, Wayne Couzens. In response to this incident, a public vigil was held for Sarah Everard in London. However, the event, which took place during COVID-19 restrictions was heavily policed and resulted in the arrests of several women (including some of the organisers) leading to accusations of poor handling by the Met Police.
This only led to further public outrage at the police’s disproportionate response to peaceful events like this, which was upheld by Lord Justice Warby. In response, women displayed their anger and shared their experiences of misogyny and abuse, both across social media and during further protests. Yet, despite this, the Met refused to accept responsibility for the actions of its officers, relying on the age-old policing metaphor of a ‘few bad apples’. In January 2023, Ruth Davison, the CEO of the domestic abuse charity, Refuge, set out to visually challenge this notion by placing 1,071 plastic apples outside New Scotland Yard with a sign reading “1,071 bad apples, how many more?”.
The government commissioned Baroness Louise Casey to conduct a large-scale review into the Met Police to provide “both a diagnosis of what needs to change and a blueprint for how to begin”. On the 21st of March 2023, the 363-page report was published, summarising evidence of homophobia, misogyny, and racism within the force, amongst many other troubling findings. The review pointed out how a senior officer displayed homophobic bullying towards a more junior colleague, and instead of addressing this discriminatory behaviour, the junior member of staff was moved elsewhere (p.247), suggesting that bullying and homophobic behaviour is informed by rank and those who come forward will be punished. The review also addresses instances of racism within the force, which can be described as two-pronged. Internally, officers who face racism feel unable to speak up for fear of reprisal (p.306), whilst externally, the force have been described as under-protecting and over-policing, leading to only a third of Black Londoners feeling confident in the Met’s ability to treat people with fairness and equality (p. 312-315). It appears that the force has not taken many steps forward since the 1999 Macpherson report which found evidence of institutional racism following the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Some 30 years later, the Casey review indicates how little has changed, stating that, “the Met preferred to pretend that their own perpetrators of unconscionable crimes were just ‘bad apples’, or not police officers at all” (p.7).
Where do victims fit in?
What might not have received as much headline space in the aftermath of The Casey Review is the effect this will have on victims of sexual violence and abuse. Many professionals working in sexual violence services will attest to the difficulties inherent in supporting victims to report. They are well aware of how re-traumatising the criminal justice system can be for those who disclose experiences of sexual violence. Despite annual increases in victims reporting sexual violence, victim advocacy services remain significantly underfunded and with limited availability. Those within the sector will also know that access to an independent sexual violence advisor can often be a ‘postcode lottery’ due to a lack of provision and funding for these vital services.
In late November 2022, long-standing sexual violence charity Rape Crisis joined 80 other women’s charities in putting forward a joint statement to the government calling for urgent action to address growing sector-wide financial hardships that will negatively affect women and girls suffering from abuse. The necessity of ensuring the continuation of such services is demonstrated in the fact that, in the year ending 2021, only 1.3% of reported rapes resulted in a charge or summons.
This raises concerning questions for survivors who have the Met as their local force. How can those looking to report abuse feel their case will be taken seriously? How can people trust that it will be handled with care and openness? How can they feel confident that the force will effectively manage their case and keep them safe in the process? These concerns will no doubt be even higher for those survivors from ethnic and sexual minorities, given the findings of the report. A number of case studies from officers detail personal experiences of misogyny, racism and homophobia (p.168-181). The report also found evidence of prejudiced assumptions, stereotypes and rape myths which were often expressed openly by officers (p.164).
Moving forward
While the focus of this short blog post is on the Met Police (as per the Casey Review), it is important to note that public feelings of anger and mistrust in the police are not limited to this force alone. There is evidence to suggest that other forces, along with the Met are removing information of officer misconduct from public knowledge, despite the legal requirement, further displacing the commitment to openness and transparency. Growth in police misconduct has coincided with wider attention to the violence perpetrated against women and girls, inspiring movements such as #MeToo, and a Home Office strategy to tackle this very issue. The question to consider is, should we be concerned about our police forces? Perhaps this exposure of the failings within the Met can act as a catalyst for other forces to look introspectively at their own behaviours and actions and prompt further investigation. The increasing instances of police-perpetrated violence, and severely low conviction rates for perpetrators of sexual violence in general, calls for a nationwide overhaul of policing. Research with survivors has also shown that the police’s response can impact significantly on a survivor’s sense of justice and feeling believed (Brooks, & Burman, 2017).
A striking finding from the Casey Review is a direct quote from a Met officer:
“You don’t want to be a victim of rape in London. Anyone who relies on policing in London for anything I’m scared for” (p.141).
The clear lack of confidence from within the force in its abilities to police rape only further fails the victims who wish to seek justice. Whilst the charity sector works tirelessly to support those coming forward, trust and confidence in the institutions set up to deliver legal justice is essential. How the police operate moving forward will be crucial for existing and future victims of sexual violence and abuse.
References
Brooks, O., & Burman, M. (2017). Reporting rape: Victim perspectives on advocacy support in the criminal justice process. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 17(2), 209–225. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895816667996
Gray, S. (2022). Findings of Second Permanent Secretary’s Investigation into Alleged Gatherings on Government Premises during COVID Restrictions. The Home Office. Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1078404/2022-05-25_FINAL_FINDINGS_OF_SECOND_PERMANENT_SECRETARY_INTO_ALLEGED_GATHERINGS.pdf
About the author
Zoe Mitchell is a senior research assistant based at Northumbria University. Her research interests focus on gender-based violence, sexual violence and victim advocacy. She has a practitioner background, most recently as an independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA), which largely informs her current research. She will be starting a PhD studentship with Northumbria University in October 2023 to explore her interests around ISVAs and victims’ experiences of advocacy support.
Contact
Zoe Mitchell
Northumbria University
z.mitchell@northumbria.ac.uk
Twitter: @zoermitchell
This article gives the views of the author, not the position of the British Society of Criminology or the institution they work for.
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