Channel 4’s drama series, The Light in the Hall, featuring the remarkable Joanna Scanlan, exposes the damage inflicted on the family and friends of a teenager murdered 18 years earlier whose body has never been found (hence the light on in the hall) and whose alleged killer is released on parole against the wishes of dead girl’s mother. However, the mental injuries, the injustices inflicted and the disregarded demands of victims are rarely so central.
After police officer David Carrick’s conviction on 51 charges of rape and domestic abuse, the Met announced it was reviewing a further 1,633 cases of domestic and sexual abuse involving more than 800 officers. Every police force in England and Wales is reviewing allegations of domestic and sexual abuse relating to officers dating back a decade. Potentially, that’s a significant number of historical victims and more women coming forward. But how much faith can they have in what follows?
