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Police forces have received more than 800 allegations of domestic violence against officers in the past five years, an investigation has found.
Of the 829 domestic violence allegations made against police or staff since 2015, only 43 (five percent) have resulted in prosecutions, a lower rate than the rate against members of the public (nine percent).
Policewomen on duty have warned that the victims are being abandoned due to the unconscious bias of the police force unwilling to investigate their colleagues.
The latest figures, obtained by the BBC, follow an April report that Metropolitan Police were investigating an officer amid allegations he raped two of his female colleagues. The story prompted more than 20 other police officers from across the UK to present their own accounts of domestic violence from colleagues.
Sarah, a Met officer who did not want to be identified, told Radio 4’s File on 4 that she was abused by an older and older male colleague with whom she had had a baby.
Describing one of the attacks, Sarah told the BBC: “He then punched me in the arm, then a few open punches behind my back and threw me to the ground. is that when the baby cried that he then I had bruises from the top of my butt up to the knee on the side of my leg where he slammed the door for me. “
Sarah ended the relationship and reported the incident months later to Kent Police. But an official police report concluded that she had fallen against the door and Sarah was told it was too late to press charges.
“I did not feel safe despite working in a police building surrounded by police officers,” she said.
“If anything, I felt more at risk because he was able to manipulate coworkers into watching or intimidating me. It was as scary as my house.”
Another female officer on duty, named only Lucy, resigned after spending 10 years working on domestic violence cases because of how she claimed her force treated victims.
“We know there will be bad officers. But in fact, we are not treating them the right way,” she said. “And we let the victims be further victimized, kicked out and silenced. I just couldn’t stay. I would rather be unemployed and poor than continue to serve this kind of organization.
Simon Wilson, Kent Police Deputy Chief Constable, said: Tackling domestic violence and protecting those at risk is a priority for Kent Police and we want anyone who feels a victim or knows someone one who could suffer in a domestic setting manifests. and tell us so that we can step in and provide the necessary safeguards.
“Domestic violence occurs in all walks of life and in all professions, and the police are no exception. There has been a lot of work both nationally and locally to raise awareness of the abuse of power by police officers to ensure that it can be identified and that victims are confident enough to report allegations. Abuse of power for domestic violence is not representative of the vast majority of officers who serve the public and protect victims with great pride and empathy.
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