October 30, 2020 - 3:47pm
Since the Covid-19 lockdown this March, cases of domestic abuse, including deaths as a consequence, have risen. Campaigners, including myself, have demanded that criminal justice agencies improve their response to domestic abuse, as we have been doing since before beating your wife was a criminal offence in the UK.
This is why I am disheartened at the remarks of David Thompson, Chief Constable of West Midlands police, who appears to be arguing that some domestic incidents should be dealt with by other agencies.
Thompson, in charge of the second largest police force in England, made these remarks in a newspaper interview. He said that a number of call-outs to those logged as potential incidents of domestic abuse amount to officers effectively “policing relationships” and that it is “debatable whether or not that’s actually something best discharged by the police in all cases”.
Clearly, Thompson was not suggesting that domestic violence should not be policed. Rather, he meant that in order to free up more time to fight ‘crime’, some non-violent cases — an argument between a couple, for instance —should be left to other agencies.
Thompson pointed out that a “very high proportion of domestic abuse referrals” were unlikely to end up in the criminal justice system, and many were made by “people seeking help but not prosecutions”.
While Thompson is right that many reported cases of domestic abuse never get anywhere near court, this is no reason not to police them. Many women are reluctant to press charges against an abusive male partner and say to police that they ‘just want him to stop’. I have heard this be said on countless occasions, and understand it is often because the victim is scared that she will face retribution for reporting her abuser if he ends up in court.
Many women are reluctant to call the police if she has no visible injuries, because she fears either not being believed or taken seriously. These incidents, in my wealth of experience, are well-founded fears.
Campaigners have spent decades working with police to help them better understand why domestic abuse should be treated as a serious crime. Many incidents do not involve any physical assault, but the escalation of abusive behaviour can be a warning sign of far worse to come.
Take the issue of coercive control, a common feature of domestic abuse relationships which only became a criminal offence in 2015. The case of Sally Challen highlighted the myriad of non-violent ways in which men can ensure their partner is terrified and immobilised, by using tactics that keep their victim in line.
As Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner said today: “I fear that [Thompson’s] remarks will only serve to disempower victims, erode their confidence in reporting to the police, and empower perpetrators”.
Rather than look for ways to police fewer such incidents, police should rise to the task and ensure that these women have the confidence to turn to them for the protection they deserve.
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SubscribeAccording to the Mankind Initiative website one in three victims of domestic abuse is male.
I think the police officer is right.
A joined up approach would be to have a fast track to social services where there is worrying behaviour but no violence, and a fast track back to the police where social services think there is an issue.
Social workers are better trained at handling non-violent incidents, and specialism can’t be a bad thing.
Strange how the police have time & resources to go to people’s homes, arrest them for saying the wrong thing on Twitter, especially those refusing to say “Trans women are real women”?? They will & have come out in large numbers to be at disability protests in London & elsewhere, many in wheelchairs & walking aids. Yes, we’re really “dangerous”. So I have no time for the police at all & sick of the endless excuses made for them. I reported a disability hate crime to my local Norfolk constabulary & it was a waste of time, bureaucratic & wouldn’t bother doing so again.
Yes, “take the issue of coercive control.” I am at a complete loss to imagine what police officers would be expected to do if called by someone alleging that they have been subjected to coercive control–besides refer the complaintant to other agencies that are more likely to provide help!
Your entire argument assumes that only women can be victims of DV.
The actual science however, shows that females initiate 50% of domestic abuse, and are responsible for 50% of the abuse of children. Thirty-eight to fourty-five percent of victims suffering physical damage are men, depending on the study. Only in one metric, violence leading to death, are women disproportionately victims.
Feminists have been pushing the narrative for years that only women are victims, and only men are perpetrators. I am all in favour of ending DV as far as that’s possible, but until femi sits acknowledge their gender bias in this debate, not much will change.
“Only in one metric, violence leading to death, are women disproportionately victims.”
Quite a significant one don’t you think?
Yes. But not the only aspect of DV that is important. In terms of actual numbers, it is a minor part of the issue.
Problem is that men are almost always stronger than women so can inflict far more physical damage. Plus often have more power in terms of money etc. Women will slap kids more as they are the ones who are mostly looking after them. It’s complex!
This discussion should also look at how society can improve domestic relations. Humans are the most violent species in relation of behaviour of men to women according to an essay by Pascal Picq (Ehttps://thecanadian.news/2020/11/09/pascal-picq-the-males-of-our-species-are-among-the-most-violent-primates-towards-their-females-the-women/)
Although the police has the duty of protecting the public and make sure legislation is applied, there is no way the police will change much to domestic abuse in general. This will only come with the evolution of humanity…. not going to happen tomorrow, sadly. This evolution of humanity has to also happen in the police of course, and there is where the police should ‘set the example’ in all the ways it can.
You seem keen to tout the scientific impossibility of blind, random evolution coming to the rescue but look at how this ‘pinnacle primate’ still acts after ????illion years. A bit like the coelacanth/horseshoe crab/komodo dragon/sandhill crane/aardvark/tuatura/lions/purple frog/platypus/hag fish/hoatzin etc etc etc – not much change there, either. But give it time….yawn.
DV will continue because feminists never want to see the end of money flowing to them. More money will be wasted because the feminist approach is wrong.