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Demonstrating for the safety of women in London, March 15th: "Abuse of power is no surprise"
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Hundreds of people demonstrated a few days ago in the UK's capital for more safety for women in public spaces.
In the midst of the debate about what the police would have to do, explosive research by the British magazine "Observer" has now burst: the London police have therefore had a number of complaints about sexual harassment in recent years.
Between 2012 and 2018, a total of 594 such complaints were received, as the report published on Sunday shows.
The magazine had requested the documents under the Freedom of Information Act.
As a result, there are several particularly severe cases among the complaints.
For example, one rape victim claimed to have been abused by a police officer.
The officer involved in the investigation "took advantage of her vulnerability," says the person concerned.
The policeman was later released.
Another reportedly filmed a woman having non-consensual sex in a park.
The »Observer« describes the »gloomy list« of abuse and harassment allegations against police officers as an »extraordinary catalog of sexual misconduct«.
The Metropolitan Police said they were taking the allegations very seriously.
"Although only a small proportion of our employees are affected by the allegations, we recognize the effects that each individual attack has on those involved," it said in a statement.
Legal proceedings or just disciplinary proceedings?
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Of the almost 600 complaints, 63 led to dismissals, resignations or other types of leaving the service.
It is not known how many of the cases were prosecuted.
"How many have been convicted of public office misconduct or sexual offenses?" Asks Nazir Afzal, former Crown Prosecution Service Chief Prosecutor for North West England.
If that did not happen, an "adequate explanation" was needed.
Disciplinary proceedings are no substitute for legal proceedings, says Afzal.
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Women demonstrate in London: "We will no longer be quiet"
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The research increases the pressure on the Metropolitan Police, which, after protests over the murder of 33-year-old British girl Sarah Everard, has been sharply criticized for its crackdown - especially against women.
Everard disappeared without a trace in south London on the evening of March 3rd when she was walking home from a friend.
It is believed that a suspect police officer abducted and killed her on the way back from his shift from the street.
Meanwhile, her body was found in a wooded area in the southeastern English county of Kent.
The alleged perpetrator is in custody and appeared in court on Tuesday via video link.
The trial is slated to begin at the end of October, after a hearing is scheduled for July.
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