Sexual assault claims made against male Wiltshire police officers

Harrowing that yesterday a paper showed that several allegations of sexual assault were made against serving male police officers in Wiltshire over five years.

The figures obtained by RADAR under the Freedom of Information Act show six sexual assault complaints were made against male Wiltshire Police officers between 2016 and 2020.

Disturbingly, of the complaints, four saw no further action and in two the victim did not wish to pursue the case. The data does not specify if the officers were on or off duty at the time the alleged incidents occurred. The sex of the person making the accusation was also unknown in each case.

Responses from 33 police forces across Great Britain revealed that most claims over five years related to male officers, where their sex was recorded.

The End Violence Against Women Coalition, which includes groups like Rape Crisis, Refuge and Women's Aid, said few officers face "any meaningful consequences" for violence against women and girls nationally.

The organisation said the murder of Ms Everard took place within a broader context of violence perpetrated by the police, adding that trust in forces from women and girls was now at an all-time low.

Deputy director Denzi Ugur said: "We need to see a radical overhaul of how the police respond to violence against women - especially within their own ranks.

"This means greater accountability and urgent, coordinated and strategic action to address violence against women.

Sexual assault claims made against male Wiltshire police officers | This Is Wiltshire