Women and children survivors need more than just rooting out ‘rogue officers’; there needs to be the recognition that this is a systemic problem which requires systemic change. We must ensure the damaging cultural attitudes towards women and domestic abuse, which have allowed perpetrators to thrive within police forces across the country, including the Metropolitan Police, are eradicated. We know that often women do not report domestic abuse due to lack of trust and fear that they will not be believed or protected by the police, reinforced by news that serving officers such as David Carrick and Wayne Couzens were not held accountable by the Met. Survivors of domestic abuse are left to face victim-blaming, a traumatic process through the criminal justice system, and little chance of any prosecution of the perpetrators.
At Advance we know that by working in a joined up and coordinated community approach to domestic abuse between the criminal justice agencies and women’s charities like us, as well as ensuring a zero tolerance towards violence against women and girls within all police forces, we can improve safety and justice outcomes for women and children, and for society.
We are calling for the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Police and Crown Prosecution Service to urgently improve police culture and increase prosecution and conviction rates for all perpetrators of domestic abuse, including police officers. This must be backed by significant government investment for Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) and community-based services for women and children survivors of domestic abuse.
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For all press enquiries, please contact:
Emma Walker, Press Officer at Advance
E: press@advancecharity.org.uk
About Advance
- Advance’s vision a safe, just and equal world for women and girls. The charity provides support women and children affected by domestic abuse, including those in contact with the criminal justice system in the communities, across England. .
- As well as providing direct support, Advance works with statutory services, government agencies and other women’s charities to ensure a holistic approach to the issues women face.
- For more information about who Advance is able to support, please visit Get Help
- For facts and statistics about domestic abuse and women in the criminal justice system, as well as Advance’s work, please visit Our Impact
