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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think he should resign immediately?

130 replies

Leibham · 01/10/2021 21:15

Zarah Sultana MP has reported that today The Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Phill Abbott has said that Sarah Everard should have ‘resisted arrest’ and that women need to be more ‘street smart’.

Victim blaming her and other women effectively.

OP posts:
TheAntiGardener · 02/10/2021 08:21

Resist arrest if the arrest isn’t genuine - very helpful advice. I’d never have thought of it myself, but then I am female and we all know women are a bit silly and lax when it comes to keeping ourselves safe from harm.

Seriously. Quite apart from the clear victim-blaming of the comments, I’m not sure how being better informed would have helped at all in this case. I think you’d have to have had the knowledge of a currently serving officer in that force aware of how the Covid patrols worked to know he was not legit with such certainty that it would be worth the risks of resisting arrest.

Selkiesarereal · 02/10/2021 08:25

Appalling victim blaming on show. The police really do need to take a hard look at themselves and drop the “one of us” mentality.

I wonder how many of us would have resisted arrest in that situation, I know I wouldn’t have as I have never had any reason not to trust the police and as I middle aged women thought that I was a little street smart.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/10/2021 08:32

What Phil Abbott actually said:

Nobody is blaming the victim what I am saying is that we need to inform women far better of their rights, something I intend to action here in North Yorkshire ASAP.

So women, first of all, need to be streetwise about when they can be arrested and when they can't be arrested.

She should never have been arrested and submitted to that.

Perhaps women need to consider in terms of the legal process, to just learn a bit about that legal process

I certainly think he could have phrased some sentences better but his point that women should resist arrest by lone men who are not in uniform is one that's been made a lot over on FWR.

LakieLady · 02/10/2021 08:35

@adawong

Yes he should resign. But Zarah Sultana has fuck all to do with it.
She's an MP, and a woman, and I'm delighted that she's used her position to point out that the man in charge of N Yorks police is a victim-blaming cunt.

Unlike the Home Secretary, who is in a prime position to do something about the institutional misogyny in policing, but is signally failing to do so.

If only there were more MPs prepared to speak out, that might do something to goad the odious Patel into action.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/10/2021 08:41

She's an MP, and a woman and I'm delighted that she's used her position to point out that the man in charge of N Yorks police is a victim-blaming cunt.

ZS is actively opposed to women's rights. She's just having a go at him to score political points.

If people think his actual warrant resignation, then fair enough, but don't believe what ZS says he said- it's nonsense.

TheAntiGardener · 02/10/2021 08:44

I think the first paragraph is fine (although depends on what the advice is - haven’t seen anything useful yet), donquixote, but it goes downhill after that. The second para is massively insensitive as it suggests that this was an example of not being streetwise, which seems to be unlikely from trial reports. As others point out, it also puts yet more onus on us to do the legwork in avoiding attack.

The third para is ambiguously. Presumably ‘and submitted to that’ follows on from the ‘shouldn’t have been’, with ‘that’ being the arrest. Fine. But I originally read it as that she shouldn’t have submitted to [the arrest]. Which logically follows from the preceding paras. I don’t think this was what was intended, but the post should have been scrutinised to avoid any confusion as this alternative meaning is insulting.

The fourth para is just rather condescending.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/10/2021 08:50

I think the first paragraph is fine (although depends on what the advice is - haven’t seen anything useful yet), donquixote, but it goes downhill after that.

I agree. I personally don't think it's a resignation issue but I think he spoke poorly when making a valid point (about educating people to spot fake arrests).

I think it's fair enough if people are pissed off by the whiff of victim blaming about this and other police responses; but Zarah Sultana is not standing for women when she attacks him.

SisterJude · 02/10/2021 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

donquixotedelamancha · 02/10/2021 09:12

Why is everyone referring to him as Phil Abbott? His name is Phil Allott.

Thanks for that. I searched the name OP gave but hadn't spotted the mistake- explains why I found so little info.

MrsSkylerWhite · 02/10/2021 09:43

I was mistaken, listened to 6 o clock news and must have misheard, I had thought Chief Constable for North Yorkshire was reported.
That it was the P&CC somehow makes his statement worse, to my mind.

Those saying he can’t be sacked, there must be a dismissal
process (if the Home Secretary felt so inclined ….).

(Curious about a comment upthread: that the P&CC for North Yorkshire was voted in by the people of Manchester. Really?? Why would that be so? This was the same poster who said he could not be sacked, so I’m wondering about the truth of that statement too 🤷‍♀️)

RufustheBadgeringReindeer · 02/10/2021 09:58

Perhaps women need to consider in terms of the legal process, to just learn a bit about that legal process

I certainly think he could have phrased some sentences better but his point that women should resist arrest by lone men who are not in uniform is one that's been made a lot over on FWR

Although I don’t disagree its once again women having to do extra…might have been more useful to say that young people should be taught about the legal process, which I definitely agree with

Something like citizenship covering politics, law and rights etc

Back when my children were in infant school they were taught about rights and rules (obviously in a very basic way)

RufustheBadgeringReindeer · 02/10/2021 09:58

Oo oo oo

Rights and responsibilities, thats what they were taught

BuntyCarmichael · 02/10/2021 10:07

Zarah Sultana is not on the side of women. She said " Only hysterical transphobes don't want men to use women's spaces".

Original poster
Leibham · 02/10/2021 10:12

@SisterJude

Apologies, I asked MNHQ to edit the title with the correct name yesterday

OP posts:
Northernparent68 · 02/10/2021 10:28

@CreationVacation

He should be sacked. It’s victim blaming. Imagine how Sarah’s family will feel reading that, it’s unforgivable.
Serious question, as it’s an elected office can police commissioners be sacked ?
OurChristmasMiracle · 02/10/2021 10:30

I am so damn fed up of it being women who are supposed to prevent/stop men from raping and murdering them.

Yes of course we should take reasonable precautions ie not getting into a strangers car but we are now told we should run and check that the police officer that’s just pulled us is in fact a police officer? If we are in danger are we not told to find a police officer or call the police? Now that seems that we can’t do that either!

martingrowler · 02/10/2021 10:40

It's relentless.

It wasn't that late, she wasn't drunk, wasn't dressed "inappropriately"... all the usual victim blaming bullshit we normally hear. So what do they come up with? Of course - It was her fault for not challenging a police officer and resisting arrest. We don't even know that she didn't.

ilovesooty · 02/10/2021 10:44

@Izzydawg

Old white man blaming young female for getting killed. His words were offensive and made me shout at him on the news .... but his generation believe this shite there’s no hope
Why is his colour relevant, or his age? It's an appalling comment and if he had any real remorse he'd resign.
MmeD · 02/10/2021 11:06

I’m so tired.

When I was young and read about older idiots saying unforgivable crap like this, I used to get angry, feel helpless and then comfort myself by thinking, well never mind they’re too ancient and stuck in their ways and they’ll be dead soon (and the world will be a better place)

Now I’m older and idiots of all ages are still saying unforgivable crap like this and doing worse and the world doesn’t seem to be much better I comfort myself by thinking never mind I’ll be dead soon.

Yeah, it’s not about me etc. etc. Sorry. Just needed to vent.

likeacandleinthewind · 02/10/2021 11:14

I don't think he can be sacked. He's a lifelong tory, they won't sack him, they don't sack anyone do they?

He is an awful man - lets see if he turns up at the roadshow he's billed to attend in Harrogate today .... I bet he doesn't.

Bunnyvenom · 02/10/2021 11:18

We had people being fined for sitting on benches and locally to us a woman was fined for driving to a beach so being arrested for walking during lockdown isn’t a far stretch. I’m appalled by his comments and an apology isn’t enough. He should resign.

As for resisting arrest - there was a video posted here a few days ago showing a 15 year girl being kicked in the stomach by a police officer when her mate was resisting arrest. So what exactly are we supposed to do??

tinselvestsparklepants · 02/10/2021 11:50

Awful. Where I work young women are told to stay safe - I have to butt in to tell the young men to not attack them. I'm so sick of the responsibility being on the victims. Ffs.

notawittyname1954 · 02/10/2021 11:57

Thank you for saying about this, I didn't know. That is utterly appalling and everyone says victim blaming. So they are saying women shouldn't be law abiding then. This is so shocking. He should resign immediately. How to alienate half of the population. Disgusted

notawittyname1954 · 02/10/2021 11:58

I meant as everyone rightly says that is total victim blaming and so wrong

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