Centre for Women’s Justice submitted their response to the Angiolini Inquiry’s consultation on Part Two of the public inquiry set up following the conviction of Wayne Couzens. You can see our response here.
Following the sentencing of David Carrick last week, naturally the issue of police perpetrated violence and abuse against women and girls (VAWG) is again in the public eye. Women’s trust in the police is low and a question CWJ is often asked is: If the police can’t or won’t tackle the problems inside their own ranks, how can they tackle them in wider society?
Calls for a statutory inquiry into how police perpetrated VAWG is handled are again intensifying. Following the conviction of Wayne Couzens, an officer from the same unit as Carrick, the then Home Secretary instituted a public inquiry. It was to take place in two parts: the first related to Couzens himself, the second into the deeper-rooted issues in the Metropolitan Police Service, which allowed Couzens, Carrick, and others like them, to be officers at all and the failures to apprehend them.
However, shockingly, both the Home Secretary and the Chair of the inquiry have thus far refused to place the inquiry on a statutory footing. A statutory inquiry is required because it would provide powers and scope to fully investigate the issues and make solid and appropriate recommendations on creating lasting, positive change. Significantly it would also allow those affected to fully participate and shine a light on the issues. We have written about this before:
CWJ Comment on the Published Terms of Reference of the Angiolini Inquiry
CWJ Statement on Angiolini Inquiry & Former Home Secretary U-Turn
Part Two is due to begin shortly. The Home Secretary and the Chair of the inquiry plainly recognise the importance of public engagement. Having responded to this consultation though, sadly in our view it is a disappointing set of questions: shallow in scope and vision and deliberately limiting genuine engagement. The terms of reference for Part Two appear inadequate, yet the framework of the consultation makes it very difficult to outline how to improve them. Sadly, this consultation appears little more than a PR exercise, rather than a proper consultation. It is disappointing that, yet again, the words of those in power who say they want to address these issues once and for all, are unwilling to listen to women and take the necessary actions to make those words a reality.
Despite this, we would urge anyone who has concerns about police perpetrated abuse, to respond if you can. We are engaging as it is another opportunity to outline that this must be a statutory inquiry. The Home Secretary and the Chair need to be bolder and more ambitious in their approach if there is to be any real progress. Please let them know if you feel the same.
You can respond here and the deadline is 12pm on Friday 24 February 2023