Police communicators to improve the way they report on male violence against women and girls

Police in Gloucestershire will be improving the way they report on instances of male violence against women and girls in a bid to reduce victim blaming and misogyny.

New guidelines have been created to help amplify the voices of victims and survivors, place responsibility on the perpetrator, and improve accuracy in reporting by naming the crime that has been committed.

The Words Matter reporting guidelines relate to the use of language, and it is a guide for communications teams as they routinely provide information to the public and press by issuing witness appeals and publicising outcomes from court.

The guidelines were created in collaboration with Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire's Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and not-for-profit organisation This Ends Now.

Tackling and preventing male violence against women and girls is a priority for all three organisations.

Detective Chief Superintendent Kerry Patterson, Gloucestershire Police's Violence Against Women and Girls lead, said: "It's important we report on incidents accurately so that we get it right at the source, as what we say is not only seen by the public, but is used by the media too as a basis for writing their articles.

"These are subtle but powerful changes in the right direction, for example using active language which makes it clear that the perpetrator is responsible for their actions, removing the idea that the victim/survivor had a choice.

"Stating that a man raped a woman, rather than a woman was raped by a man, clearly puts the responsibility on the perpetrator, and goes towards ending victim blaming language in our communication with both the public and press."

Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, of Gloucestershire Police and the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, said: "If the use of inappropriate language around women and girls continues, then there will not only be a decrease in trust and confidence, but more worryingly a further rise to the already increasing culture of misogyny being learnt across fast-moving platforms, especially among younger people. And if this is allowed to continue these views and opinions may manifest into more serious threats.

"We need to protect women and girls both on and offline and we can help to achieve this by setting the example around our own communications, being consistent in our use of language and influencing the removal of victim blaming, sexist and undermining language around women.

"There needs to be a wider understanding of the detrimental effects this can have both on the victims that are the subject of it, and those we need to protect, and want to feel safe to come forward for support. And we are working nationally on further language guides and training, to drive meaningful change both internally and externally."

The guidelines cover crimes committed primarily, but not exclusively, by men and boys against women and girls, and victim blaming language contributes to a culture which normalises this.

It covers crimes such as rape and sexual assault, domestic abuse, child sexual abuse, indecent images of children and image-based abuse. It also provides tips for police communicators on headlines, language around age, referencing a perpetrator's occupation and much more.

Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said: "Tackling male violence against women and girls has always been one of my top priorities.

"When it comes to crimes like domestic abuse, sexual assaults and many others, it is a statistical fact that men are the main perpetrators and women the main victims.

"Anyone can be abused, but the misogynistic abuse women and girls face every day has become normalised in our society. It is a problem of epidemic proportions.

"Women are not 'groped' in clubs, men are sexually assaulting them. Women are not 'playing hard to get', men are raping them.

"The Words Matter reporting guidelines may seem a small way to tackle this systemic problem, but by changing the way we talk and think about these types of crimes, we change perceptions.

"As well as the Constabulary's communications team, myself and my office will be adhering to these important guidelines. As well as continuing our work to end male violence against women and girls by funding vital victims services, educational programmes and more."

Work on this project began in August 2022, and the guidelines are believed to be the first of their kind in UK police communications. 

The guidelines have been informed and developed with support from UK-wide experts and specialists in domestic abuse and sexual violence. This includes representatives from the Hollie Gazzard Trust, The Nelson Trust, Zero Tolerance, Schools Consent Project, a former news editor and more. 

Co-founder and Managing Director of This Ends Now, Sydney-Anne McAllister said: "With a focus on women's safety rather than holding perpetrators to account, male violence against women and girls is generally reported on in a victim blaming and misogynistic way.

"More often than not, reports also downplay the seriousness of crimes and fail to acknowledge that male violence against women and girls is a systemic issue.

"We believe that when would-be perpetrators know their actions will no longer be excused through language and power structures, they will stop abusing women and girls. By changing how these crimes are communicated, we can hold perpetrators to account.

"This Ends Now was founded in 2022 in response to a series of incidents of male violence against women and girls, as well as the victim blaming rhetoric in police and media communications nationally and globally at the time.

"We're committed to ending gender-based oppression and believe the reporting guidelines will reframe the conversation and help crime reports to more accurately reflect the seriousness of the male violence against women and girls epidemic."

While the guidelines were being produced, those behind its creation gave talks at Cheltenham Literature Festival two years in a row about the project, with the events being the most attended on the VOICEBOX stage. 

The Words Matter reporting guidelines are publicly available to read and download here: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/police-forces/gloucestershire-constabulary/areas/gloucestershire/about-us/about-us/word-matter---reporting-guidelines/