ITV’s The Blame shows the real impact of misogyny and abuse in the police
I recently watched The Blame on ITV, a drama that focuses on abuse, misogyny and corruption within a police force. And even though it’s fictional, it was impossible to separate it from reality.
One of the most shocking parts of the show was the inclusion of real messages written by actual police officers – messages that were misogynistic, abusive, sexual and deeply degrading. Seeing those words on screen brought home the realities of what has gone on in police forces and, sadly, what I believe is still going on.
This wasn’t just a storyline created for TV – it reflects attitudes that have existed within certain parts of policing for years, especially towards women and girls, and attitudes that have caused real harm to real people.
ITV’s The Blame showed what we deal with every day at BBK
Working in the Bolt Burdon Kemp Abuse team, I see how often abuse involves someone in a position of authority. People come to us because they were harmed by someone they trusted – a police officer, a coach, a teacher, a youth worker – and the impact of that betrayal can be enormous.
Watching The Blame only reinforced how familiar these patterns are: the misuse of power, the culture that allows harmful behaviour to go unchecked, and the way sexual abuse is so often targeted at women and girls because perpetrators believe their authority will protect them from consequences.
It takes enormous courage to speak out when the person who harmed you holds power. Many survivors feel trapped, ashamed or unsure where to turn. But none of what happened is their fault. Abuse carried out by someone in authority is a serious breach of trust, and the effects can stay with someone for years. Staying silent doesn’t protect survivors, it protects perpetrators.
If you’ve experienced abuse by a police officer or anyone in a position of authority, you deserve to be heard. You deserve support, accountability and a safe space to talk about what happened.
At BBK, we work with survivors who have been harmed by individuals who misused their power, and we understand how difficult it can be to come forward. We will listen, and we will help you explore your options with sensitivity and confidentiality.
If you’d like to speak to someone, David McClenaggan, Head of our Abuse Claims Team, has extensive experience of supporting survivors in cases of this nature and would be happy to discuss how we may be able to help. Please contact David directly or get in touch with our Abuse team.
