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** A letter from our
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** Chief Executive
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Dear Supporter
In March 2021, Sarah Everard was walking home when she was abducted, raped and murdered by a serving police officer.
Her death shocked the country. It sparked national grief and raised urgent questions about who we trust to protect us, and what happens when that trust is broken.
Yesterday, the second part of the Angiolini Inquiry into Sarah’s murder was published. It looks at what went wrong, what signs were missed, and how a man with a known record of violence was able to stay in the police and use that position to cause harm.
The report opens with words from Sarah’s mum, Susan. She writes about the torment she continues to endure. Her words are horrifying and unforgettable. Reading them is incredibly difficult and I can’t begin to imagine the pain that Sarah’s family and friends must carry.
We’ve known for a long time that misogyny runs deep in policing. Last year, more than 1,000 officers were under investigation for sexual or domestic abuse. That is likely to be just the surface. A recent Panorama investigation uncovered widespread racist and misogynistic behaviour in the Met. More than 300 women came forward with stories about police officers across England and Wales.
After the Casey Review in 2023, we met with the Met Commissioner to offer our expertise and to push for change. Following the Inquiry’s findings, we have now written to the Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council to ask what is being done now to root these behaviours out.
Frontline services are doing everything they can to keep going. Many are working with impossible funding gaps, trying to support women in crisis while also keeping their doors open. That doesn’t leave much time or capacity to take on the systems that create the harm in the first place. That is where Fawcett comes in. We challenge the structural misogyny that runs through our public institutions.
Police officers bring their own experiences and beliefs with them into the job. Misogyny is a societal problem, so of course some officers will hold those views. That makes police culture even more important. There need to be stronger checks at recruitment, real consequences when behaviour crosses a line, and proper independent oversight.
Tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence is supposed to be a government priority. But the Inquiry shows how far that promise is from reality. Policies and training are not enough. Not if men with hostile views towards women are still being allowed to join the police, and to stay there.
Misogyny is an epidemic. It is taking lives. It is undermining public trust. And too often, it is still being ignored.
But there are signs of change. Public pressure led to the Casey Review. More women are speaking out. Institutions are being forced to respond.
Thank you for standing with us.
We are determined to push even harder in 2026. Please stay with us. Together, we can keep the pressure on, and help turn this moment into lasting change.
Our thoughts are with Sarah’s loved ones, and with every woman who has been failed by the systems meant to protect her. We stand with you. And we won’t stop.
In Solidarity,
Penny East
Chief Executive
Share your views with Penny (mailto:
[email protected]?subject=FAO%3A%20Penny.%20The%20Angiolini%20Inquiry&body=)
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