Institutional Misogyny in Policing: A Pervasive Culture of Violence Against Women

Strategic Insights -

Britain has seen a rising tide of misogyny among its public services, with policing at the forefront of the problem. The London Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade have been subject to damning reviews, pinpointing institutional misogyny as a hallmark of their cultures. This insidious issue is not limited to individual "bad apples" but is instead a pervasive and normalized way of working that perpetuates men's power over women. The consequences of institutional misogyny are far-reaching, affecting not only the victims of violence but also the public's trust in these institutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The London Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade have been identified as having institutional misogynistic cultures, with evidence of regular devaluing and demeaning of women within these institutions.
  • The effects of institutional misogyny include physical violence against women and girls, as seen in high-profile cases such as the Sarah Everard and Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman incidents.
  • Police officers, including some female officers, often struggle to identify and empathize with female victims of crime, viewing addressing street harassment as outside their core responsibilities.
  • Only seven police forces have implemented a policy of classifying misogyny as a hate crime, and within these forces, frontline officers often bypass the measure, undermining its impact.
  • Institutional misogyny is marked by a refusal to admit to a lack of knowledge and an emotional detachment from problems affecting women, which can lead to the erasure of domestic violence as a form of misogynistic hate crime.
  • The labelling of institutional cultures as misogynistic is crucial in recognizing how public institutions can act against the interests of women and girls, drawing attention to pervasive and normalized ways of working.

Statistics:

  • Trust in the police fell from 63% to 53% in the wake of the sentencing of serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens, who took part in the kidnap, rape, and murder of Sarah Everard (More in Common).
  • Only seven police forces have implemented a policy of classifying misogyny as a hate crime (The Conversation).
  • 63% of women have experienced street harassment, which can include verbal catcalls, wolf whistling, and unwanted touching (The Conversation).
  • 45% of women have reported feeling intimidated by male strangers in public spaces (The Conversation).
  • The homicide rate for women has increased by 20% between 2019 and 2021 in the UK (The Conversation).

Sources:

  • The Conversation -- UK -- By Catherine Durose, Professor of Public Policy, University of Liverpool
  • What is institutional misogyny in policing? Our research shows what it looks like -- and why it matters -- https://theconversation.com/what-is-institutional-misogyny-in-policing-our-research-shows-what-it-looks-like-and-why-it-matters-210568
  • More in Common: Trust in the police fell from 63% to 53% in the wake of Couzens' sentencing