Urgent Reforms Needed as report Reveals Widespread Failures in Policing sexual Offences
A new inquiry reveals over a quarter of police forces in England and Wales have yet to implement basic policies for investigating sexual offenses, four years after the tragic murder of Sarah Everard.
The findings, released Tuesday by Lady Elish Angiolini KC, underscore a critical lack of progress in addressing sexually motivated crimes against women in public spaces. The report criticizes limited data collection and calls for immediate action to prevent future offenses, stating that the current situation demands a “turning point.”
The Angiolini Inquiry, launched in 2024, resolute that Couzens should never have been a police officer and highlighted missed opportunities to intervene before the tragic events unfolded. this second installment examines the effectiveness of existing measures designed to protect women and girls in public areas.
The report reveals that as of September 2024,26% of police forces have not yet implemented a specialist policy for investigating all sexual offenses,including “non-contact” crimes like indecent exposure – a key suggestion made in the first part of the inquiry. While the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has developed guidance to assist forces, many are still in the process of reviewing existing policies or consulting on new ones.
“This inquiry confirms what women and girls have been telling us for years: that the threat and reality of men’s violence restricts our everyday lives, and efforts to prevent it remain piecemeal, short-term and chronically underfunded,” said andrea Simon, director of campaign group End Violence Against Women.
A critically important obstacle to effective prevention is the lack of comprehensive national data on sexually motivated crimes. Lady Elish warned that without consistent data collection across all forces, it is indeed impossible to identify patterns of offending and allocate resources effectively..
The findings have prompted a response from the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, who stated she would “carefully consider the recommendations.” The government has previously outlined plans to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade and is expected to unveil its Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy soon.
The report also highlights the need for a broader cultural shift, with recommendations including improving programs to foster “positive masculinity” in men and boys, and implementing targeted public messaging campaigns to encourage reporting of crimes like indecent exposure. other proposals include expanding project Vigilant – a Thames Valley Police initiative focused on identifying and intervening in possibly predatory behavior in nightlife areas – and rolling out Operation Soteria to improve the police and crown Prosecution Service’s response to rape cases.
The call for action extends to urban planning, with the report suggesting increased collaboration between police and architects to design safer public spaces. A particularly poignant recommendation is the consideration of a “Good Samaritan law,” wich would encourage – or even require – witnesses to intervene when they observe someone in danger.
The family of Sarah Everard expressed hope that the inquiry’s findings would have “far-reaching consequences,” recognizing the extensive work still needed to prevent sexually motivated crimes. “Sarah is always in our thoughts and we feel the inquiry continues to honor her memory.We stand in recognizing the urgent need for positive change,” they stated.
The case of Zara Aleena, who was sexually assaulted and murdered in London in 2022 by a repeat offender, further underscores the urgency of the situation. Farah Naz, Aleena’s aunt, championed the Good Samaritan law and expressed hope that it would be taken seriously. “My niece was walking home. That is all she was doing,” Naz said. “This report not only examines specific failures surrounding Sarah and Zara but also addresses the wider structures, cultural patterns and operational weaknesses that place women and girls at risk in public space.”
Responding to the report,the police Federation of England and Wales acknowledged systematic failures in addressing VAWG and demanded urgent reform. Its national chair, Tiff Lynch, emphasized the need for “robust, specialist investigative standards” and “sustained funding and training,” asserting that violence against women and girls must be treated as a national threat.
The Angiolini Inquiry’s findings serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing vulnerability faced by women and girls in public spaces and the critical need for systemic change within law enforcement and beyond.
