This seems self-explanatory:

The full petition states:

“Cases of abuse of women by police are all too often making headlines. An investigation conducted by Refuge into alleged cases of abuse of women by police-perpetrators, shockingly revealed that, of the total number of cases of officers accused of violence against women and girls (VAWG) between 2022 and 2023, only 24% were suspended while under investigation.

“How can women feel safe coming forward to report abuse when so little is being done to root out abusers from within policing’s own ranks?

“The government must act now to prove that their promise to make violence against women and girls a strategic policing priority is more than just words on paper. We’re demanding they take action to root out every ‘bad apple’ effectively and swiftly to restore public confidence in policing.”

It states: “How many more bad apples? Together we’re calling on the Home Secretary to enforce mandatory suspension of all potential abusers, until and only if, they’re cleared following investigation.”

And the petition reads: “To: The Home Secretary

“Please implement a consistent suspension policy across police forces in England and Wales, where all police officers and staff accused of violence against women and girls are suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.”

This Writer is thinking of recent cases in the Metropolitan Police, in particular, and of the finding that the culture in that particular service means that rape is no longer treated as a crime in its area.

So I’ve signed the petition. Will you?