Hello, I would just like to share my experience. I am a serving police officer of nearly 19 years.
I got sexually assaulted around 9 years ago by a colleague whilst at work (I am a surveillance officer).
We were deployed together in a pub, he drunk 8 pints of beer during the deployment (which isn’t appropriate) he started to comment / compliment me on my figure and graphically what he liked, he then began to rub my thighs slowly up and down, uncomfortable close to my private area. He then started kissing me on the neck, and whispering in my ear asking to kiss me on the lips. I had frozen when he started to touch me, and pathetically managed to whisper a response to say no to being kissed on the lips, so he continued to kiss my neck and touching me until we were stood down.
I made a complaint to my Supervisors, two male [redaction made for legal reasons] and a male [senior rank redacted for legal reasons], and they decided to give the offender words of advice.
This particular male continued to work alongside me, which I struggled with. So I was moved to another surveillance team!
About a year later the surveillance teams he was on and I was on, collaborated, so I was working with him again!
This was very uncomfortable, he would make comments about my nipples if they were showing! Saying I wasn’t someone who you could “have a laugh with” as I would go running and telling!
I decided to ask the force again to look into the sexual assault against me. To be told, it’s now been crimed, although I haven’t seen proof of this. but because he had been given words of advice at the time, they can’t do anything else.
I have had a hard time at work, picked on by his friends, my [redacted for legal reasons] and [senior rank – redacted for legal reasons] just see me as a grass and being over dramatic. Attitudes towards me have massively changed.
The man that assaulted me makes no secret he’s a mason and apparently head mason at his lodge, so he has a lot of power!
I’m struggling to continue to work in the police because of the lack of support. I am seriously considering leaving! I am looking for alternative work, that could pay similar to what I currently earn!
I just wanted to share my experience, as I’m so angry. Thank you
Constabulary: Suffolk Constabulary
Timespan: Around 9 years ago.
Did you report it to the police?: Yes
Your ethnicity: White British
Have you experienced suicidality due to this?: Thoughts/feelings
Are you disabled as defined under the Equality Act 2010?: No
