Rape Crisis England & Wales is calling for a public inquiry into sexual violence and abuse within mental health inpatient wards after a Sky News investigation uncovered a catalogue of sexual abuse complaints.
The Sky News/Independent Patient 11podcast investigation discovered nearly 20,000 new sexual abuse, harassment and rape complaints – involving both patients and staff – across more than 30 mental health trusts in England since 2019.
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Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCE) described the current situation as “appalling” and “alarming”.
In addition to calls for a public inquiry, it wants the government to appoint a minister responsible for the safety of women on mental health wards, women-only wards, and a provision to allow victims to give evidence.
“We are concerned that without major intervention and leadership at the highest levels, this could lead to sexual violence and abuse simply being accepted as inevitable, when it is absolutely preventable,” said Ciara Bergman, chief executive of RCE.
“We have been raising our concerns about the widespread safeguarding issues with those within the health system for many years.
“It is disturbing that even after the important CQC (Care Quality Commission) report published in 2018 on sexual safety, so little has seemingly changed.
“Women and girls deserve to feel safe wherever they are, but particularly when they are at their most vulnerable.”
Image: Stephanie Tutty, Alexis Quinn and Rivkah Grant are among those who say they were sexually assaulted in NHS care
Following our investigation – which also revealed hundreds of rape or sexual assault complaints involving female patients that were never reported to police, and a landscape where trusts are largely failing to apply 2020 government-backed protections – the health minister said allegations of sexual abuse in mental health settings would be part of a major review.
In February, it was revealed that NHS England was not enforcing safeguarding standards as mandatory across its trusts.
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3:54
NHS psychiatric care ‘collapsing’
In its statement, RCE highlighted its concerns over a “lack of clarity” on the part of government and health leaders regarding the ultimate responsibility for sexual safety on mental health inpatient wards.
“There is no quick fix to this scandalous situation,” said former patient Alexis Quinn, whose escape from psychiatric care following two complaints of sexual assault sparked thepodcast investigation.
“As RCE suggest, it requires political will, leadership and co-produced solutions targeted at positive culture change.”
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3:05
‘I’m just being traumatised’
The Department of Health and Social Care did not respond to the RCE call for a public enquiry.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “The department has zero tolerance and is clear that the NHS should work to stop sexual assaults happening in NHS services and premises.
“We have been clear patients should not have to share sleeping accommodation with others of the opposite sex and should have access to segregated bathroom and toilet facilities, and we expect NHS trusts to comply with these measures.
“We are working closely with the NHS to ensure anyone receiving treatment in a mental health facility receives safe, high-quality care, and is looked after with dignity and respect, and the Health Services Safety Investigations Body has launched a national investigation into mental health inpatient settings.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “Over 250 organisations have signed up to the first ever NHS sexual safety charter, launched last year in collaboration with healthcare systems and people with lived experience, to provide staff with clear reporting mechanisms, training and support, ensuring that a zero-tolerance approach to tackling sexual misconduct is taken.
“The NHS has made clear that every provider of our services has a legal and moral duty to safeguard patients, to report all incidents of sexual violence, and to take appropriate action with the criminal justice system and safeguarding bodies where harm has occurred.”
If you are impacted by this story, or believe that you experienced sexual abuse in mental health inpatient care, please contact the Rape Crisis England & Wales helpline on 0808 500 2222.
But what about his style ‘prince’? Some want that ditched too.
It’s a complicated but not impossible process. Andrew could, of course, just stop using it voluntarily.
Some want him to give up his home, too. For a non-working royal, the stately Royal Lodge, with its plum position on the Windsor Estate, is an uncomfortable optic.
With the reputation of the monarchy at risk, William does not want to appear weak. He’s putting loyalty to “the firm” firmly above his familial relationships.
Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the allegations, and restated on Friday: “I vigorously deny the accusations against me”. Sky News has approached him for comment on the fresh allegations set out in the Mail on Sunday.
But with Virginia Giuffre’s tragic death and posthumous memoir due out on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace will be braced for more scandal.
When Andrew gave up his titles, there was certainly a sense of relief.
There is now a sense of dread over what else could emerge.
Sky News’ royal commentator has explained why Prince Andrew has not given up being called a prince – while another expert has said “the decent thing” for him to do would be “go into exile” overseas.
Andrew announced on Friday that he would stop using his Duke of York title and relinquish all other honours, including his role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
However, he will continue to be known as a prince.
Royal commentator Alastair Bruce said that while Andrew’s other honours and titles were conferred to him later in life, he became a prince when he was born to Elizabeth II while she was queen.
He told presenter Kamali Melbourne: “I think […] that style was quite special to the late Queen,” he said. “And perhaps the King, for the moment, thinks that can be left alone.
“It’s a matter really for the King, for the royal household, perhaps with the guidance and advice of government, which I’m sure they are taking.”
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2:49
Who pushed Andrew to drop his titles?
Since Andrew’s announcement, there has been speculation over whether any further measures will be taken – and one author has now called for him to “go into exile”.
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Andrew Lownie, author of The Rise And Fall Of The House Of York, said: “The only way the story will go away is if he leaves Royal Lodge, goes into exile abroad with his ex-wife, and is basically stripped of all his honours, including Prince Andrew.”
Royal Lodge is the Windsor mansion Andrew lives in with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who has also lost her Duchess of York title.
Image: Andrew and his former wife continue to live on the Windsor estate. Pic: Reuters
Mr Lownie continued: “He makes out he’s an honourable man and he’s putting country and family first. Well, if he is, then the optics look terrible for the monarchy. A non-working royal in a 30-room Crown Estate property with a peppercorn rent.
“He should do the decent thing and go. And frankly, he should go into exile.”
Mr Lownie added if the Royal Family “genuinely want to cut links, they have to put pressure on him to voluntarily get out”.
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1:11
Windsor’s take on Prince Andrew
Andrew’s decision to stop using his titles was announced amid renewed scrutiny of his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and fresh stories linked to the late Virginia Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, alleged she was sexually assaulted by Andrew on three occasions – which he has always vigorously denied.
Bereaved families whose loved ones took their own lives after buying the same poison online have written to the prime minister demanding urgent action.
Warning: This article contains references to suicide
The group claims there have been “multiple missed opportunities” to shut down online forums that promote suicide and dangerous substances.
They warn that over 100 people have died after purchasing a particular poison in the last 10 years.
Among those who have written to Downing Street is Pete Aitken, whose daughter Hannah was 22 when she took her own life after buying the poison from a website.
Hannah was autistic and had ADHD. She was treated in six different mental health hospitals over a four-year period.
He said: “Autistic people seem to be most vulnerable to this kind of sort of poison and, you know, wanting to take their lives.”
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4:05
Pete Aitken speaking to Sky News
Sky News is not naming the poison, but Hannah was able to buy a kilogram of it online. Just one gram is potentially fatal.
“There’s this disparity between the concentration required for its legitimate use and that required for ending your life. And it seems quite clear you could make a distinction,” Mr Aitken said.
Analysis from the Molly Rose Foundation and the group Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms says at least 133 people have died because of the poison. It also says coroners have written warnings about the substance on 65 separate occasions.
The report accuses the Home Office of failing to strengthen the regulation of the poison and says not enough is being done to close dangerous suicide forums online.
Lawyers representing the group want a public inquiry into the deaths.
In a joint letter to the prime minister, the families said: “We write as families whose loved ones were let down by a state that was too slow to respond to the threat.
“This series of failings requires a statutory response, not just to understand why our loved ones died but also to prevent more lives being lost in a similar way.”
The group’s lawyer, Merry Varney, from Leigh Day, said: “The government is rightly committed to preventing deaths through suicide, yet despite repeated warnings of the risks posed by an easily accessible substance, fatal in small quantities and essentially advertised on online forums, no meaningful steps have been taken.”
Image: Hannah’s dad is one of the family members to have signed the letter
A government spokesperson said: “Suicide devastates families and we are unequivocal about the responsibilities online services have to keep people safe on their platforms.
“Under the Online Safety Act, services must take action to prevent users from accessing illegal suicide and self-harm content and ensure children are protected from harmful content that promotes it.
“If they fail to do so, they can expect to face robust enforcement, including substantial fines.”
They added that the position is “closely monitored and reportable under the Poisons Act, meaning retailers must alert authorities if they suspect it is being bought to cause harm”.
“We will continue to keep dangerous substances under review to ensure the right safeguards are in place,” they said.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.