A Metropolitan Police officer is currently under investigation after a controversial video from 2018 resurfaced, showing him allegedly advising Nigerian women not to call the police on their husbands but to "manage it" instead.
The video, which has sparked outrage among abuse charities and the public, was filmed inside Divine Restoration International Church in Camberwell.
In the footage, the officer can be seen addressing a group of mainly women, speaking both in Yoruba and Nigerian language and English.
He discussed issues such as knife crime and family dynamics, suggesting that sons might prefer listening to their fathers over their mothers. However, the most contentious part of his speech was when he implied that Nigerian women start behaving "rudely" towards their husbands upon arriving in the UK and advised them against calling the police on their spouses.
Debbie Ariyo, Chief Executive of Afruca, expressed her anger upon seeing the video. "When I heard it, I was livid. Like what do you mean? So if a man is abusing the woman, and don’t forget, domestic violence is not always about physical abuse, emotional even in terms of cultural practices, it's a sexual issue so if a woman is being abused in the home, she shouldn’t call the police because if she does, the man will be removed from the home and the children will spiral and it will be her fault," she said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh confirmed that the video had been referred to the professional standards team. He clarified, “The comments made by the member of the police staff categorically do not represent the position of the Met in relation to domestic abuse and are wrong.
There are no circumstances where it would be appropriate for a victim-survivor of domestic abuse not to report it to the police if they feel able to do so.”
The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about violence against Black women. According to figures from PA News agency, of the 21 femicide victims recorded by the Metropolitan Police in 2022, nine victims (43%) were Black, indicating higher rates than any other ethnic group.
The Metropolitan Police have developed dedicated investigation teams focused on domestic abuse and work in partnership with local authorities and third-sector charities to encourage reporting and support victim-survivors.
Despite these efforts, the resurfaced video shows the challenges in effectively addressing and supporting victims within these communities.
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