Can I have an opinion please?

It used to be the case that the police would harass people who put in complaints against them. Is that no longer the case?

He'd already committed assault and battery, she slapped him in self-defence. He then punched her, committing further battery. It's all fucking misogyny to think these things are equal.

There was a study in the US that showed men who use strangling as a form of violence are 8 times more likely to perpetrate further violence.

So much so that certain states have a specific category for violence involving strangulation.

I'm concerned that she wanted to press charges and the officer said no, not sure how that works but it sounds really worrying.

I don't know the law, and it might be very misogynist, but ethically, the violent man was in the wrong and of course, a slap in self-defense is not anywhere near the same as punching someone in an attack!

That police officer was an asshole. IF the law is misogynist and enables violent men, then a decent police officer would explain that and be kind about the whole thing. Which is not what happened.

In reality if the victim doesn't want a prosecution there won't be one in 9/10 instances. Lost count of how many times victims have changed their mind only to be later assaulted again. One extreme case which wasn't mine but one of a friend, the lady was a long term victim who refused to give statements against an abusive partner. The CPS erred and decided not to prosecute despite other evidence, he later killed her. On the flip side the family court give out non-mols like sweets often based on absolutely no evidence.

There isn't such a thing as a DV victim 'pressing charges'.

Anyone can report a crime, so technically you could report this. The police then should abide by the positive action / positive arrest policy ie should arrest a perpetrator whether the victim wants it or not - this is to try to deal with the fact that many victims are too scared to say they want a case to go ahead. In this instance the officer could have taken them both to the station and taken statements from both, even if he genuinely believed she instigated the assaults (obviously she didn't).

Obviously it sounds like there are so many crimes here police could take loads of action against this.

Also, given what she's told you someone (DV agency, your agency?) should look at reporting this to the local MARAC given that he's strangled her in the past and now stalking her - she's at really high risk.

You can make a complaint if you have: [among other things]

witnessed in person an incident where a police officer, member of police staff, contractor working for the police or a police volunteer acted inappropriately

IPPC

You should absolutely dob in any police officers if they have been negligent, as long as you can personally afford to do so. Otherwise, see if there are any other witnesses who can dob them in
without major comeback.

The police are supposed to ensure our safety. Being kind to them because in retrospect they might 'also feel that a mistake was made that evening' doesn't cut it. Unless people raise complaints nothing will change.

Police these days are extensively trained on DV, coercive control, dangers of ex-partners etc. If they are making 'mistakes' it's either willful or they are too stupid to be in the police. Or they don't have the necessary resources to deal with the problem (priorities?).

Whichever of these is the cause of this particular incident, it needs reporting if you can, but I recognise not everybody can.

Time isn't necessarily a barrier, many venues keep CCTV for months or even years. Ultimately you can't complain about the officer as it was down to her to push him to take action. I recently stopped a police van with two officers in it because they had driven past an unconscious girl at the side of the road three times. It was about 1am and they did not give a shit because she was intoxicated. I literally had to threaten them out of the van to take some responsible action for a very young and obviously vulnerable girl laying in the road.

I think you did quite well on the night.

Whether you want to take it further (complaining about the officer) is of course up to you.

You can report a crime if you have witnessed it, you needn't necessarily mention that a police officer also saw. You could mention the location and time and with luck someone might check the CCTV if available without the on duty officer that was there becoming informed. But that being said, perhaps the officer also feels that a mistake was made that evening.

He chased her down the street and kept grabbing her. He knocked her down with his fist. He has previously abused her within a relationship, including grabbing her throat. He needs stopping before he kills a woman.

No, this wasn't dealt with properly.

IPCC for police complaints if you have the energy and can afford to risk any comeback.

Ps, look up the section 39 offence of common assault and battery if you would like more information on the criminal aspect of what has happened, you will need to look at the CPS charging standards rather than the legislation to get a sense. Police at the scene will rarely arrest low level domestics while the perps are intoxicated. The officer at the scene however does not have the sole discretion to decide whether an offence has been committed or not, she is still entitled to make a complaint, however if that officer gives a statement to the effect that they are both at fault a prosecution will be difficult and possibly not in the public interest.

No, that's disgraceful. She was acting in self defence.

And no, dig for dig does not cancel out the assaults. If the officer truly believed both were as bad as each other then they both should have been arrested.

She wanted to press charges but the officer at the scene would not allow it.

She can (and should) still press charges and she can (and should) place a complaint about the police officer.

You should report the incident to the Police. Is there a usual procedure for this sort of thing? It's not for you to decide if he did his job probably. But his superiors can't either unless they know what happened.

x-posted with you.

Yes, I share your concerns - I'm also medical and I suppose we see too much DV escalating

Take some advice from your defence union?? Not that you need 'defence', but they might be able to offer a legal perspective?