This article references rape and sexual assault.

After years of empty promises and countless scandals, a new Panorama investigation exposes what women have known all along: the police can’t be trusted to protect us.

Many women face the same harmful question when discussing experiences of rape, abuse or misogyny: “Did you report it to the police?” Personally, I’ve heard this question so many times, and my answer is usually no. The reason is not only a lack of trust in the police, but also the deep systemic misogyny, racism, homophobia, transphobia and ableism within the force.

Behaviour in the police matters because women are often not believed, even when confiding in trusted friends or family. We’re dismissed, doubted, or victim-blamed. That disbelief comes from a misogynistic view of women as liars or exaggerators. Receiving the same treatment from those meant to protect us and hold perpetrators accountable is simply never acceptable, yet it persists.

Last week, Panorama released a documentary after a seven-month undercover investigation at Charing Cross police station. During that time, hidden cameras captured officers making derogatory comments about women, joking about rape, and mocking survivors. The programme confirmed what women and other marginalised groups have known for a long time: we cannot trust the police, even when it comes to male violence against women and girls.

The officers filmed also unnecessarily restrained and abused a child with autism, using “pressure points” on the child’s legs. They made dehumanising comments about asylum seekers, bragged about serving non-halal meat to Muslims, and said things like “foreigners are the worst.”

When women come to the police after a horrendous attack – often in a highly vulnerable state – it can be retraumatising to be victim-blamed or not taken seriously, especially when that disbelief is also rooted in racism, misogyny, transphobia, or ableism.

It was only a couple of years ago that police – again at Charing Cross – were reprimanded for sending WhatsApp messages about assaulting their partners, raping women, and other offensive, harmful “jokes.”

Often, as women, we can tell when a man is harmful or misogynistic; through certain phrases, attitudes or “jokes” linked to incel culture, or the manosphere. In the documentary, we hear sexist language from several officers. One sergeant told a story about a woman, made offensive comments about her weight, and then told a colleague that she “had two p*ssies.” These are not just one-off jokes or banter; they reveal a more profound hatred for women. And that hatred is dangerous.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described the findings as “disgraceful”, adding that the force had taken “immediate and unprecedented action”. Eight police officers and one staff member have been suspended. The Met has referred Panorama‘s allegations to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is undergoing an investigation.

When men feel bold enough to express hatred for women, it signals to others that misogyny is acceptable in their presence; a kind of dog whistle. It’s part of the process of dehumanising women, reducing us to objects. That dehumanisation so often escalates into physical abuse.