Sexual misconduct and discrimination complaints against police officers have doubled in five years – but more than half of claims have gone uninvestigated, The Independent can reveal.
Analysis of figures from the police watchdog shows that forces received 404 complaints for sexual misconduct in 2024-25 – the highest number on record in a single year – and up from 199 in 2020-01.
Sex discrimination claims also saw a significant jump, with a record number of complaints – 645 – in 2023-24 alone.
Complaints, which include claims of sexual assault, harassment and abuse of position for sexual gain, have risen at twice the rate of all other allegations made against officers in the past five years, analysis by The Independent shows. Despite this, 51 per cent of claims went uninvestigated between 2020 and 2024.
The revelation comes after damning new footage from BBC Panorama exposed a culture of misogyny in the Metropolitan Police, with officers uncovered making sexualised comments about women and dismissing allegations of rape.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley apologised for the “reprehensible and completely unacceptable” behaviour of the officers filmed in the recordings at Charing Cross Police station and said it was likely that all the accused serving officers would be sacked within weeks.
Shadow policing minister Matt Vickers described the rise in complaints as “extremely concerning”, while Chief Constable Craig Guildford, head of complaints and misconduct at the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), insisted forces were “determined to root out those not fit to wear the uniform”.
In total, forces around the country have received 1,499 complaints about the sexual conduct of officers since 2020, and 2,320 of sex discrimination, according to the figures from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The majority of sexual conduct complaints – 70 per cent – were for sexual assault in 2023-04, which is the latest full-year breakdown available.
There were also dozens of claims alleging that police abused their positions for sexual purposes, or to pursue inappropriate emotional relationships; with 412 complaints recorded by the IOPC since 2020.
As the biggest police force in the country, the Met had the highest number of sexual conduct complaints, but these make up a small fraction of all complaints against the force.
Maxime Rowson, head of policy at charity Rape Crisis England and Wales, said that while the increase in complaints was “troubling”, it could be down to more survivors feeling more able to report their experiences, following a string of high-profile cases in recent years.
They include the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by off-duty police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021, who lured her into his car under the pretence of making an arrest.
And David Carrick, the serial rapist and former police officer who committed sexual crimes over two decades, and wielded his status to deter his victims from reporting him.
Ms Everard’s murder sparked a damning police review which found that “forces had overlooked or downplayed” allegations of misconduct.
In the wake of her killing, the launch of Operation Soteria in 2021 – which aimed to improve the investigation of rape – and the IOPC’s You Have a Voice campaign have been credited with increasing reporting around crimes.
However, while overall police complaints have risen by 54 per cent since 2020, allegations around sexual conduct increased by twice as much, at 103 per cent in the same period.
“It is crucial now that all police forces take seriously any complaints made to them, treating all survivors with dignity, belief and respect, and take action to uncover any unreported police-perpetrated sexual violence,” warned Ms Rowson.
Tory MP Mr Vickers told The Independent: “Any rise in sexual misconduct complaints is extremely concerning.
“It is vital that victims of these horrific crimes have total confidence that they will be taken seriously, and swift action will be taken.”
“The overwhelming majority of our police officers work day in, day out to keep us all safe. Those officers who abuse their power let down the public and their colleagues,” he added.
CC Guildford said: “Whilst it is painful to read of such behaviour, police chiefs are determined to support those who report it and remain resolute in their approach to dealing with it head-on.”
He said that the “significant overhaul” of vetting and misconduct procedures in 2020 was already leading to more dismissals of rogue officers, but admitted there is still “further to go”.
“We know that there is more for us to do […] to make sure we keep building public trust and confidence, which is so easily eroded by the actions of a tiny minority,” he said
“Ensuring robust disciplinary action is taken against such individuals is absolutely crucial to sending a declaratory message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Victims of abuse can visit the free 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line from charity Rape Crisis. You can make a complaint to the IOPC here.
