Hampshire Constabulary named on Everyone's Invited over sexual harassment allegations

The force was named by an ex-officer, who posted a harrowing testimony online about her experience of “rape culture” existing within the workplace.

The Everyone's Invited website was set up by teenager Soma Sara who wanted to create a space for victims to show how widespread rape culture is across Britain- over 15,000 anonymous testimonies have been submitted, sparking a national debate about the issue.

The poster began her testimony by calling out Hampshire Constabulary for not providing enough support after she was raped by her domestically violent partner.

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Describing the force as “extremely unprofessional” she wrote: “After the rape I had no support from Hampshire Constabulary for three months. I had to call their HR department myself to seek some professional support.

"After all this time the police support I eventually received wasn’t adequate as police counsellors don’t take on rape victims due to the length and depth of the case! I had to go outside for help.”

After enduring a “brutal and traumatic” court case the victim was then allegedly subjected to sexual harassment whilst at work.

She claimed: “In my time as a serving officer, a sergeant bullied me because I refused his advances whilst on duty with him.

“I complained about his bullying to my inspector at the time, sadly the ranks closed together and I was moved.

“Apparently I should have been grateful for the move and be quiet yet again! It was my failing to believe that I would have been supported from the very people who are meant to protect me at such a horrendous time.”

The victim added: “As a constabulary, they have failed me massively and have acted extremely unprofessional. It would seem trying to complain to the constabulary is futile as I’m being ignored.

“Vulnerability is the justice systems power. This sort of crime has evolved but the justice system hasn't. The predators are protected to do it again, and it would seem in or out of the system!

“It’s only by the grace of god I’m still here today to write this. The justice system has become the enabler for such crimes to continue. Hampshire Constabulary will have to talk to me one day it shouldn’t be this hard!"

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The force has now urged the victim to “reach out” stating “we are here, we want to listen and we want to help.”

A spokesperson for the force said: “Hampshire Constabulary is always listening to the public and to our staff, to improve our response to domestic abuse. Domestic abuse accounts for 18 per cent of crime reported to us, with our response officers spending around 30 per cent of their day-to-day work attending to and dealing with victims and families affected by the abuse.

“We have a good track record of trying new approaches to improve our service and victim care. Operation Foundation, a Home Office pilot, has been implemented within Southampton and Eastleigh where Hampshire Constabulary, The Hampton Trust and the University of Southampton are working collaboratively for earlier identification, referral, engagement and disruption of repeat, serial perpetrators within a family setting.”

They continued: “Over the last year, we have trained hairdressers across Hampshire as domestic abuse ambassadors and we have created a safe at home QR code that is on police cars and on display in toilets and communal areas of licensed premises, hospitals, mental health services, housing services and in staff areas at secondary schools, which signposts anyone who chooses to scan it to advice and support services across Hampshire without the need to approach staff or the police.

“We recognise that anyone at any time in their lives can be a victim of domestic abuse, including our own staff, and we want people to have trust and confidence in reporting domestic abuse to us.

"All reports of domestic abuse are investigated impartially, however, we do recognise that there are additional barriers in reporting when our own staff are affected by domestic abuse.

“In appreciation of this, in June 2021, we launched a new Workplace Domestic Abuse process, which includes pathways tailored to protect and support victims who are members of staff, and also victims from outside our organisation who report domestic abuse involving our staff.

“The pathways have clear guidance and are designed for everyone involved, be that victims, perpetrators, managers and peers. We want a police service in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight where domestic abuse will never be tolerated, minimised or excused, and have created safeguards, scrutiny and learning to ensure quality of service to all.”

Hampshire Constabulary has now formed a domestic abuse internal survivors group who have had oversight of the processes “ensuring” that Hampshire police put survivors “at the heart of everything” they do.

The spokesperson added: “More broadly, the way we deal with internal allegations from officers and staff against colleagues is in line with the national Police Conduct Regulations 2020. We utilise specially trained sexual offence officers and support officers. Criminal allegations are dealt with in the same way as an allegation against any member of the public and are considered alongside any separate misconduct process.

“We have worked, and continue to work, extremely hard as an organisation to ensure people understand the standards of behaviour expected of them, to be ethical and inclusive of all and to give staff the confidence to challenge on the rare occasions when behaviours fall below that which is acceptable. We have well-established processes in place to deal with any incidents should they occur.

“We cannot comment on this individual case, however, we would urge the author of this post to reach out; we are here, we want to listen and we want to help.”