Refuge responds to Police reform white paper

Responding to the Home Office’s white paper on policing reforms, Bo Bottomley, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Refuge, said:  

“After countless reports of police-perpetrated abuse, it is no wonder women’s confidence in policing is at an all-time low. Refuge has long called for a major shift in police culture and practices, with urgent action needed to root out perpetrators from within the force and greatly improve vetting practices.

“We welcome the Government’s commitment to reforming police culture, reaffirmed in this week’s police reform white paper and previously outlined in last month’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. Plans to strengthen vetting and misconduct systems – including the introduction of national mandatory vetting standards – alongside more robust requirements for forces to suspend officers under investigation for specified VAWG-related offences, will be critical to rooting out perpetrators and addressing the culture of misogyny that has pervaded police forces for years.

“Police responses to domestic abuse remain inconsistent, with survivors often experiencing a postcode lottery in the response they receive from frontline officers. We are pleased to see the white paper’s emphasis on enhanced public protection training for frontline officers, including a clear focus on responding effectively to domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG. The white paper rightly recognises that most crimes, including domestic abuse, now involve some form technology. It is therefore vital that this training equips all officers with the knowledge and practical skills required to identify, investigate and gather evidence of tech-facilitated abuse.

“The Government has pledged to halve VAWG by 2034, but achieving this will require serious action to address the systemic shortfalls in policing that have left thousands of survivors without the justice they deserve. If the Government is to meet its target, policing reforms aiming to restore women’s confidence in policing and improve the police response to domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG must be implemented as a matter of urgency, with clear detail on delivery timelines and plans for monitoring. We will continue working with the Government to ensure survivors’ needs are at the heart of these reforms.”