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A recent report has revealed that over 25% of police forces in England and Wales have yet to adopt fundamental policies for investigating sexual offences, despite the tragic case of Sarah Everard occurring four years ago. The inquiry’s latest findings emphasize the urgent need for measures aimed at preventing further violent sexual attacks, including focused efforts on stopping predatory men.
Lady Elish Angiolini KC, chairwoman of the inquiry, highlighted a significant discrepancy in how police forces handle violence against women compared to other serious crimes, where dedicated funding and prevention strategies are standard practice. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, responded by affirming that the government will carefully review and consider the recommendations presented.
Sarah Everard was abducted, raped, and murdered in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, a serving police officer at the time, while she was walking home in south London. Couzens, now serving a whole life prison sentence, had prior incidents of indecent exposure in the months before the attack. Two years ago, the government stressed the need for police forces to align their resources and approaches in tackling violence against women and girls similarly to how other nationally prioritized crimes are addressed. However, the Angiolini Inquiry concluded that until such coordination happens, violence against women cannot truly be classified as a national priority.
Among several findings, the inquiry’s first report, released in February of the previous year, called for every police force to have specialized policies addressing the investigation of all sexual offences, including “non-contact” crimes like indecent exposure, by September 2024. Despite guidance developed by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to aid this, 26% of forces had not met this standard as of September. The NPCC stated that most of these forces are still reviewing existing policies or consulting on newer ones. The inquiry also raised alarms about incomplete national data, particularly the lack of consistent records on how many women report sexual crimes in public places. Lady Elish emphasized that without uniform data collection, it becomes impossible to identify patterns of offending.
The second phase of the Angiolini Inquiry introduced further recommendations, such as encouraging bystander intervention through an expanded Good Samaritan law and significantly boosting data collection on sexual offences in public settings. Additionally, the report advocates for initiatives promoting positive masculinity among boys and men, more consistent public messaging on reporting crimes like indecent exposure, and involving police officers in urban planning to design safer public environments.
Sarah Everard’s family expressed hope that these latest findings will lead to significant, widespread changes. In their statement, they acknowledged the extensive work still needed to prevent sexual crimes against women in public spaces and other vulnerable groups. They noted that the inquiry continues to honor Sarah’s memory and emphasized the urgent demand for meaningful reform.
Farah Naz, aunt of Zara Aleena—who was also a victim of sexual assault and murder in east London in 2022—voiced strong support for the Good Samaritan law she has advocated. She stressed the report’s importance in addressing not only the individual failures in the cases of Sarah and Zara but also the broader cultural and operational issues that leave women and girls exposed to risk in public spaces.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood extended her condolences to Sarah Everard’s family and reaffirmed her commitment to creating an environment where women and girls can live free from fear and harm—something Sarah was tragically denied. Mahmood further outlined the government’s ambition to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade, with a new strategy to be announced soon to tackle these issues
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