Anyone seen this?
Help us stop officers being able to use their positions to abuse women.
How can women trust the police to investigate domestic abuse when officers who are themselves guilty of such conduct continue to be protected?
For years, an officer in Gwent Police was allowed to use his position to get away with abusing women. Entrusted with the training of new recruits, he would develop relationships with junior colleagues before subjecting them to forms of controlling and coercive behaviour. Earlier this year, that officer was finally dismissed, after a disciplinary panel upheld allegations of violent and domineering behaviour made by multiple women.
Complaints made about the officer’s misconduct to Gwent Police force were ignored and mishandled. As a result, he was allowed to remain in the position while women who complained were victimised and in one instance pushed out of her job.
We are two of the women who were victims of this former police officer. He was protected by our employer at the expense of our physical safety, mental health, and careers. We have had enough and we are taking action.
We are launching a legal challenge against Gwent police and their protection of a domestic violence perpetrator in their ranks. We can't go up against this police force alone and need your support.
The Case
For over 20 years, Gwent police employed an officer who had a pattern of abusive behaviour towards women, including colleagues. When we made the decision to complain about him, we each believed that by coming forward we would stop other women from having to go through the same thing. But instead we were punished for speaking up, while senior officers failed to take steps to protect other female recruits or to keep us safe from him.
For years, police colleagues of the perpetrator and those higher up helped cover up and victimise the women who complained. We need to challenge the police culture of facilitating and ignoring violence against women.
In the coming weeks our lawyers from the Centre for Women’s Justice will be finalising a legal claim against Gwent Police, challenging their negligence in failing to prevent this abuser from harming other officers and seeking compensation for the trauma that we have been put through and the losses we suffered.