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Today (16th January 2022) a police officer with the Metropolitan Police, David Carrick, has admitted to 49 rape and sexual offences against 12 women.
Carrick exploited his position as a police officer to abuse women in the most horrific of ways, and intimidated them into silence by telling them no one would believe them.
The Metropolitan Police, who were aware of allegations but took no action, have admitted to errors, stating that he should never have been allowed to join the force and they had failed to spot the threat he posed to women.
Amelia Handy, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Rape Crisis England & Wales, comments:
This case is another horrifying example of how systemic misogyny within policing has caused harm to women. Not only did Carrick use his position of power to rape and sexually abuse women, he was enabled to do so by inadequate vetting procedures and inexcusable inaction that allowed him to continue in his role. We know this is not a singular case, and that many more police officers continue to perpetrate violence against women and girls.
In October 2022, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and College of Policing published a review of themes, learnings and recommendations on police-perpetrated violence against women and girls. In November His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) published its report on vetting, misconduct, and misogyny in the police service, highlighting the scale of the problem and making a number of recommendations. We urge the Met Police and other forces to address these failings as a matter of urgency by implementing these recommendations with transparency.
We extend solidarity to the victims and survivors in this case, and to all those subjected to police violence.