Bad Sex in Fiction Awards ceremony celebrates 24th year

“It’s terribly British, isn’t it,” said the man next to me at last night’s Bad Sex in Fiction Awards ceremony at the (appropriately named) In and Out Club in St James’s. He was referring, of course, to the yearly bash â€" now in its 24th year â€" in which the Literary Review magazine nominates half a dozen passages from contemporary fiction seen to represent sex at its most cringeworthy, reads them out to champagne-infused guffaws, and then awards a prize to the author of the worst.

It is a terribly British event, but it also provides a snarky satisfaction that transcends nationality. Because for anyone with the sneaking suspicion that the sexual act is better done or seen than artistically described â€" that its complex idiosyncrasy is one of the few things that lie outside the remit of the otherwise resourceful English language â€" the Bad Sex Awards hits its mark.

Yet as the entrants this year make clear, writing about sex with flagrant abominableness is still cheerily far from going out of fashion. Hearty examples were a passage from Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis’s The Butcher’s Hook:

When his hand goes to my breasts, my feet are envious. I slide my hands down his back, all along his spine, rutted with bone like mud ridges in a dry field, to the audacious swell below.

“Audacious swell”? Quite.

Then there was the American Gayle Forman’s entry, from Leave Me:

They were in that room, Jason had slammed the door and devoured her with his mouth, his hands, which were everywhere. As if he were ravenous. And she remembered standing in front of him, her dress a puddle on the floor, and how she’d started to shake, her knees knocking together, like she was a virgin, like this was the first time.

Erri de Luca.
Claudio Onorati/EPA

But the gong went to the Italian poet and translator Erri De Luca for The Day Before Happiness (de Luca understandably wasn’t present). “My prick was a plank stuck to her stomach,” the Neapolitan was justly rebuked for writing:

With a swerve of her hips, she turned me over and I was on top of her … I was her plaything, which she moved around. Our sexes were ready, poised in expectation, barely touching each other: ballet dancers hovering en pointe.

Not everyone felt this deserved the award â€" as an American woman nearby remarked to me, this could clearly be read as satire, plain and simple. Perhaps, but satire doesn’t necessarily get you home dry, especially when it’s ambiguous. After all, the book, a coming of age story, is not particularly comic in the way that, for instance, the early sex-mad tomes of Philip Roth and Martin Amis were.

In fact, the awards were conceived not to discourage writing about sex, but to discourage writing about sex badly. The wording of the original mission statement in 1993 by Auberon Waugh, then editor of the Literary Review, is revealing: the bash was to “draw attention to poorly written, perfunctory or redundant passages of sexual description in modern fiction”.

It would be helpful to have some guidance on what non-redundant, good sex writing looks like, since it’s not entirely clear whether it can exist in a literary form at all. After all, the most sexually charged novels of the last 100 or so years use the rule of thumb that the act is unmentionable, boring, or best only suggested.

The novels of Dickens, Eliot and Trollope are full of sexual yearning, and their emotional and erotic pull are none the worse for the veiled references to kissing and love. Even in 20th century novels with subject matter devoted to romantic entanglements, the sexual act is not necessarily spelled out or even mentioned â€" Iris Murdoch doesn’t go further than “making love” as an account of the nocturnal activities of her highly sexually charged couple Dora and Paul in The Bell (1958).

And while Margaret Drabble’s super-sexy characters Clara and Gabriel get pretty steamy in Jerusalem the Golden, nothing beyond the fact is spelled out. It’s a blessed relief which does nothing to diminish the profoundly saucy atmosphere of the book.

The awards are also a humorous reminder not just of the imaginative power but also of the literary value of discipline and restraint in matters of bonking. A recent book about prime minster Herbert Asquith’s passionate attachment to Venetia Stanley tells of his thousands of letters to her, all passionately headed with variants of “my own darling” and “darlingest”.

Asquith’s desperate fixation with Stanley pours out from every page, but had he indulged in anything more sexually explicit than the desire to “go for a little drive, or will you come to Downing St & have a talk”, it would hardly have helped, and probably only hindered, the accumulated intensity of his fixation. Voluble lusters: take note.

Zoe Strimpel, PhD Candidate, University of Sussex

"

| Fiction | Awards | ceremony | celebrates | 24th | year | “It’s | terribly | British | isn’t | said | next | last | night’s | (appropriately | named) | Club | James’s | referring | course | yearly | bash | which | Literary | Review | magazine | nominates | half | dozen | passages | from | contemporary | fiction | seen | represent | most | cringeworthy | reads | them | champagne | infused | guffaws | then | awards | prize | author | worst | p> It | event | also | provides | snarky | satisfaction | that | transcends | nationality | Because | anyone | with | sneaking | suspicion | sexual | better | done | than | artistically | described | complex | idiosyncrasy | things | outside | remit | otherwise | resourceful | English | language | hits | mark | p> Yet | entrants | this | make | clear | writing | about | flagrant | abominableness | still | cheerily | going | fashion | Hearty | examples | were | passage | Blue | Peter | presenter | Janet | Ellis’s | Butcher’s | Hook< | a>:< | p> When | hand | goes | breasts | feet | envious | slide | hands | down | back | along | spine | rutted | bone | like | ridges | field | audacious | swell | below | p> < | blockquote> “Audacious | swell” | Quite | p> Then | there | American | Gayle | Forman’s | entry | Leave | p> They | room | Jason | slammed | door | devoured | mouth | everywhere | ravenous | remembered | standing | front | dress | puddle | floor | she’d | started | shake | knees | knocking | together | virgin | first | time | blockquote> Erri | Luca | span>Claudio | Onorati | EPA< | span>< | span>But | gong | went | Italian | poet | translator | Erri | Before | Happiness< | understandably | wasn’t | present) | “My | prick | plank | stuck | stomach | Neapolitan | justly | rebuked | writing:< | p> With | swerve | hips | turned | over | plaything | moved | around | sexes | ready | poised | expectation | barely | touching | each | other: | ballet | dancers | hovering | pointe | blockquote> Not | everyone | felt | deserved | award | woman | nearby | remarked | could | clearly | read | satire | plain | simple | Perhaps | doesn’t | necessarily | home | especially | when | it’s | ambiguous | After | book | coming | story | particularly | comic | instance | early | tomes | Philip | Roth | Martin | Amis | p> In | fact | conceived | discourage | badly | wording | original | mission | statement | 1993 | Auberon | Waugh | editor | revealing: | “draw | attention | poorly | written | perfunctory | redundant | description | modern | fiction” | would | helpful | have | some | guidance | what | good | looks | since | entirely | whether | exist | literary | form | sexually | charged | novels | years | rule | thumb | unmentionable | boring | best | only | suggested | p> The | Dickens | Eliot | Trollope | full | yearning | their | emotional | erotic | pull | none | worse | veiled | references | kissing | love | Even | 20th | century | subject | matter | devoted | romantic | entanglements | spelled | even | mentioned | Iris | Murdoch | further | “making | love” | account | nocturnal | activities | highly | couple | Dora | Paul | Bell< | (1958) | p> And | while | Margaret | Drabble’s | super | sexy | characters | Clara | Gabriel | pretty | steamy | Jerusalem | Golden< | nothing | beyond | It’s | blessed | relief | does | diminish | profoundly | saucy | atmosphere | humorous | reminder | just | imaginative | power | value | discipline | restraint | matters | bonking | recent | book< | prime | minster | Herbert | Asquith’s | passionate | attachment | Venetia | Stanley | tells | thousands | letters | passionately | headed | variants | “my | darling” | “darlingest” | p> Asquith’s | desperate | fixation | pours | every | page | indulged | anything | more | explicit | desire | “go | little | drive | will | come | Downing | & | talk” | hardly | helped | probably | hindered | accumulated | intensity | Voluble | lusters: | take | note | p> Zoe | Strimpel< | Candidate | University | Sussex< | em>< | div> < |

Thank You Very Very Much for Reading this Blog

Your birth control could be affecting your sex life and how faithful you are to your partner... and it's not good news

Sex education

According to a Norwegian University and the University of New Mexico your pill can impact more than just your period

BIRTH control could be affecting more than just when your period comes new research claims it can also have an impact on your sex life and how faithful you are.

A study conducted by the the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and University of New Mexico found that your type of pill can make you more likely to stray away.

>

Getty Images

New research by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and University of New Mexico has revealed that your birth control could be impacting your sex life and faithfulness

Researchers surveyed 274 straight university females, who lived in Norway and were were all in relationships about their sex life in the past week.

The questionnaire also asked how committed and loyal they were to their partners and which particularly type of contraceptive pill they used.

On the whole, women who were more faithful to their partners had sex more often but this was especially common with those too the pill which contained lowered oestrogen levels and high progesterone.

>

Getty Images

On the whole, the research found women who were more faithful to their partners had sex more often

While those on birth control with high oestrogen and low progesterone had sex more often when they didn’t feel loyal to their partners.

However, the effect only existed for penetrative sex with a penis not solo sex or any other type of partner.

The researchers also conducted another study which surveyed 112 women every week for three months to find out more about their hormones and behaviour over time.

The results once again revealed that less oestrogen and more progesterone were linked with frequency or sex and commitment but there was no difference with perceived loyalty.

BAREBACK MOUNTAIN

Randy couple filmed having sex by astonished walkers on mountain peak

STI RISE in older brits

Top doc warns that sexually transmitted infections are rocketing among older Brits

fifty shades of zzz

Women prefer a book to sex to help them get a good night's sleep, study reveals

THE 120-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN

Indian monk bidding to officially be crowned the world's oldest person puts his incredibly long life down to not having sex

DEAR DEIDRE

I had passionate sex with a pal - but I'm in turmoil as I've just broken up with my ex

The findings supported the theory that women initiate sex more when they have high progesterone levels  but only if the feel serious about their relationship.

NTNU psychology professor Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair said in a press release“The function of sex in humans outside ovulation is an evolutionary mystery.

“But we believe that it has to do with binding the parties in the relationship together.”

>

Getty Images

But the survey found that women who were on high levels of progesterone pills were more loyal and had sex more with their partner

Overall, the study helped reveal more about how birth control affects our sex lives and shed some light on how it might impact our relationships.

“Previous work…indicates that the initiation or termination of birth control usage during a relationship can have consequences for women’s relationship satisfaction,” the researchers concluded.

“Our findings suggest that the type of hormonal contraceptive women select may affect sexual behaviour with partners.”

"

| Your | birth | control | could | affecting | your | life | faithful | partner... | good | news | Sex | education< | span> According | Norwegian | University | Mexico | pill | impact | more | than | just | period< | p> < | div> < | div> BIRTH | when | period | comes | research | claims | also | have | p> A | study | conducted | Science | Technology | (NTNU) | found | that | type | make | likely | stray | away | a> Getty | Images< | p> < | div> New | revealed | impacting | faithfulness Researchers | surveyed | straight | university | females | lived | Norway | were | relationships | about | their | past | week | p> The | questionnaire | asked | committed | loyal | they | partners | which | particularly | contraceptive | used | p> On | whole | women | often | this | especially | common | with | those | contained | lowered | oestrogen | levels | high | progesterone | div> On | often While | low progesterone | didn’t | feel | p> However | effect | only | existed | penetrative | penis | solo | other | partner | researchers | another | every | three | months | find | hormones | behaviour | over | time | results | once | again | less | linked | frequency | commitment | there | difference | perceived | loyalty | p> < | p>BAREBACK | MOUNTAIN< | h3> Randy | couple | filmed | having | astonished | walkers | mountain | peak< | span> < | div> < | p>STI | RISE | older | brits< | h3> Top | warns | sexually | transmitted | infections | rocketing | among | Brits< | p>fifty | shades | zzz< | h3> Women | prefer | book | help | them | nights | sleep | reveals< | p>THE | YEAR | VIRGIN< | h3> Indian | monk | bidding | officially | crowned | worlds | oldest | person | puts | incredibly | long | down | sex< | p>DEAR | DEIDRE< | h3> I | passionate | turmoil | broken | div> < | div> The | findings | supported | theory | initiate |  but | serious | relationship | p> NTNU | psychology | professor | Leif | Edward | Ottesen | Kennair | said | press | release< | a>“The | function | humans | outside | ovulation | evolutionary | mystery | p> “But | believe | binding | parties | together | ”< | div> But | survey | pills | partner Overall | helped | reveal | affects | lives | shed | some | light | might | p> “Previous | work…indicates | initiation | termination | usage | during | consequences | women’s | satisfaction | concluded | p> “Our | suggest | hormonal | select | affect | sexual | div> |

Thank U Very Much for Read this News

Hundreds of police in England and Wales accused of sexual abuse | UK news

Hundreds of police officers are being accused of sexually abusing victims and suspects in what a senior police watchdog has called “the most serious corruption issue facing the service”.

Forces across England and Wales received 436 allegations of abuse of power for sexual gain against 306 police officers, 20 police community support officers and eight staff in the two years to March but inspectors believe the problem is even more prevalent than the numbers suggest.

Despite the large numbers, there is evidence that only 40 officers or staff have been dismissed for abusing authority for sexual gain in a similar period.

Vulnerable individuals, including domestic abuse victims, alcohol and drug addicts, sex workers and arrested suspects were among those targeted by officers and staff, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said.

Victim groups have said the findings are “deeply concerning” and involved some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Mike Cunningham, inspector of constabulary and former chief constable of Staffordshire police, said: “This is the most serious corruption issue facing the service. What can be worse than a guardian abusing the trust and confidence of an abused person? There can be no greater violation of public trust.”

“It is probably more likely the problem is more serious than the numbers reported back to us,” he added.

“In many cases the victims are vulnerable people. They are victims of domestic abuse, they’re victims who might have been arrested and they have drug or alcohol dependency. It is an exploitation of power where the guardian becomes the abuser.”

One of the most high-profile cases of police officers abusing their power in recent history was that of Stephen Mitchell, who was jailed for life in 2011 for raping and sexually assaulting vulnerable women he had arrested.

Mitchell, who was a constable with Northumbria police, abused heroin addicts, shoplifters and a disabled teenager by offering them help while in custody, then demanding sexual favours afterwards.

Earlier this year, DS Robert Dawson, a Metropolitan police officer who had sex with a vulnerable alleged rape victim, was formally dismissed from the force. A tribunal heard that in 2010, while investigating an allegation of serious sexual assault, Dawson engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with the victim.

PC Simon Salway, who had sex with vulnerable witnesses and victims of crime, and fathered a child with one of the women he exploited, was found guilty of six charges of misconduct in a public office at Luton crown court last year.

HMIC found that more than a third (39%) of the allegations of abuse of authority for sexual gain involved victims of domestic abuse. As part of its research the inspectorate carried out an online survey of domestic abuse practitioners between July and August. Sixty-eight practitioners (16%) of the 414 who took part said victims of domestic abuse had disclosed that an officer or member of police staff had abused their authority to exploit them or develop an inappropriate relationship with them.

The chief executive of the domestic violence charity Refuge, Sandra Horley, said: “Widespread reports of police officers exploiting women for sexual gain … are horrific â€" but unsurprising.

“Refuge is glad HMIC’s report has shone a light on this issue, following a consultation with domestic violence practitioners including our frontline staff. The police are meant to protect the public from harm; how can women be expected to report their abuse, if they fear the police will abuse them all over again? Women have the right to safety and protection.

“Refuge commends the work HMIC has already done in improving the police response to domestic violence; we hope this report will mean an end to what is an appalling abuse of power.”

Mark Castle, chief executive of the independent charity Victim Support, said: “These allegations are deeply concerning. The victims involved are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who have been exploited by the people they should be able to trust the most, the police.

“In order to maintain public confidence in the police it’s critical that forces recognise this behaviour as the serious corruption that it is and report all cases to the IPCC to ensure that they are thoroughly and robustly investigated.”

The HMIC findings formed part of a broader inspection of police legitimacy, which concluded victims’ satisfaction with the way they were treated by police remained high. The investigation was ordered by the then home secretary, Theresa May.

But the inspectorate said forces still needed to become more proactive in rooting out officers and staff abusing power for sexual gain. This could involve profiling officers to single out those who might be likely to commit such abuse.

Cunningham said one of the reasons the inspectorate believed the figures belied a greater problem was that forces in England and Wales did not have a consistent and coherent approach to tackling the problem.

Not all forces class the abuse of authority for sexual gain as a serious corruption issue, which HMIC says they should. This would mean any allegation would be automatically referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for investigation.

HMIC was only able to find 40 cases on the national disapproved register in which officers or staff were dismissed for abusing power for sexual gain during the period in which more than 400 allegations were received.

“What’s less clear is what’s happening with those allegations, how those allegations are being pursued, how they translate into gross misconduct hearings and sackings,” Cunningham said.

HMIC said the problem remained despite recommendations in a 2012 IPCC report on the issue, which appear to have not been acted on.

In her speech to the Police Federation conference earlier this year, May said: “We know of officers who develop inappropriate relationships with victims of domestic abuse. They have ignored their professional duty and their moral responsibility, and instead abused their position of power to exploit victims. We do not know the true scale of this, but everyone in this room will know it goes on far more than we might care to admit.”

"

| Hundreds | police | England | Wales | accused | sexual | abuse | news | officers | being | sexually | abusing | victims | suspects | what | senior | watchdog | called | “the | most | serious | corruption | issue | facing | service” | p> Forces | across | received | allegations | power | gain | against | community | support | eight | staff | years | March | inspectors | believe | problem | even | more | prevalent | than | numbers | suggest | p> Despite | large | there | evidence | that | only | have | been | dismissed | authority | similar | period | p> Vulnerable | individuals | including | domestic | alcohol | drug | addicts | workers | arrested | were | among | those | targeted | Majesty’s | Inspectorate | Constabulary | (HMIC) | said | p> Victim | groups | findings | “deeply | concerning” | involved | some | vulnerable | people | society | p> Mike | Cunningham | inspector | constabulary | former | chief | constable | Staffordshire | said: | “This | service | What | worse | guardian | trust | confidence | abused | person | There | greater | violation | public | ”< | p> “It | probably | likely | reported | back | added | p> “In | many | cases | They | they’re | might | they | dependency | exploitation | where | becomes | abuser | p> One | high | profile | their | recent | history | Stephen | Mitchell | jailed | life | 2011< | raping | assaulting | women | p> Mitchell | with | Northumbria | heroin | shoplifters | disabled | teenager | offering | them | help | while | custody | then | demanding | favours | afterwards | p> Earlier | this | year | Robert | Dawson | Metropolitan | officer | alleged | rape | victim | formally | from | force | tribunal | heard | 2010 | investigating | allegation | assault | engaged | inappropriate | relationship | victim< | p> PC | Simon | Salway | witnesses | crime | fathered | child | exploited | found | guilty | charges | misconduct | office< | Luton | crown | court | last | p> HMIC | third | (39%) | part | research | inspectorate | carried | online | survey | practitioners | between | July | August | Sixty | (16%) | took | disclosed | member | exploit | develop | p> The | executive | violence | charity | Refuge | Sandra | Horley | “Widespread | reports | exploiting | horrific | unsurprising | p> “Refuge | glad | HMIC’s | report | shone | light | following | consultation | frontline | meant | protect | harm; | expected | fear | will | over | again | Women | right | safety | protection | commends | work | HMIC | already | done | improving | response | violence; | hope | mean | appalling | p> Mark | Castle | independent | Victim | Support | “These | deeply | concerning | should | able | order | maintain | it’s | critical | forces | recognise | behaviour | IPCC | ensure | thoroughly | robustly | investigated | formed | broader | inspection | legitimacy | which | concluded | victims’ | satisfaction | treated | remained | investigation | ordered | home | secretary | Theresa | May< | p> But | still | needed | become | proactive | rooting | This | could | involve | profiling | single | commit | such | p> Cunningham | reasons | believed | figures | belied | consistent | coherent | approach | tackling | p> Not | class | says | would | automatically | referred | Independent | Police< | Complaints | Commission | (IPCC) | find | national | disapproved | register | during | p> “What’s | less | clear | what’s | happening | pursued | translate | into | gross | hearings | sackings | despite | recommendations | 2012 | appear | acted | p> In | speech | Police | Federation | conference | earlier | “We | know | relationships | ignored | professional | duty | moral | responsibility | instead | position | true | scale | everyone | room | goes | care | admit | p> |

Thank You So Much for Visiting this Blog

Hundreds of police in England and Wales accused of sexual abuse | UK news

Hundreds of police officers are being accused of sexually abusing victims and suspects in what a senior police watchdog has called “the most serious corruption issue facing the service”.

Forces across England and Wales received 436 allegations of abuse of power for sexual gain against 306 police officers, 20 police community support officers and eight staff in the two years to March but inspectors believe the problem is even more prevalent than the numbers suggest.

Despite the large numbers, there is evidence that only 40 officers or staff have been dismissed for abusing authority for sexual gain in a similar period.

Vulnerable individuals, including domestic abuse victims, alcohol and drug addicts, sex workers and arrested suspects were among those targeted by officers and staff, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said.

Victim groups have said the findings are “deeply concerning” and involved some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Mike Cunningham, inspector of constabulary and former chief constable of Staffordshire police, said: “This is the most serious corruption issue facing the service. What can be worse than a guardian abusing the trust and confidence of an abused person? There can be no greater violation of public trust.”

“It is probably more likely the problem is more serious than the numbers reported back to us,” he added.

“In many cases the victims are vulnerable people. They are victims of domestic abuse, they’re victims who might have been arrested and they have drug or alcohol dependency. It is an exploitation of power where the guardian becomes the abuser.”

One of the most high-profile cases of police officers abusing their power in recent history was that of Stephen Mitchell, who was jailed for life in 2011 for raping and sexually assaulting vulnerable women he had arrested.

Mitchell, who was a constable with Northumbria police, abused heroin addicts, shoplifters and a disabled teenager by offering them help while in custody, then demanding sexual favours afterwards.

Earlier this year, DS Robert Dawson, a Metropolitan police officer who had sex with a vulnerable alleged rape victim, was formally dismissed from the force. A tribunal heard that in 2010, while investigating an allegation of serious sexual assault, Dawson engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with the victim.

PC Simon Salway, who had sex with vulnerable witnesses and victims of crime, and fathered a child with one of the women he exploited, was found guilty of six charges of misconduct in a public office at Luton crown court last year.

HMIC found that more than a third (39%) of the allegations of abuse of authority for sexual gain involved victims of domestic abuse. As part of its research the inspectorate carried out an online survey of domestic abuse practitioners between July and August. Sixty-eight practitioners (16%) of the 414 who took part said victims of domestic abuse had disclosed that an officer or member of police staff had abused their authority to exploit them or develop an inappropriate relationship with them.

The chief executive of the domestic violence charity Refuge, Sandra Horley, said: “Widespread reports of police officers exploiting women for sexual gain … are horrific â€" but unsurprising.

“Refuge is glad HMIC’s report has shone a light on this issue, following a consultation with domestic violence practitioners including our frontline staff. The police are meant to protect the public from harm; how can women be expected to report their abuse, if they fear the police will abuse them all over again? Women have the right to safety and protection.

“Refuge commends the work HMIC has already done in improving the police response to domestic violence; we hope this report will mean an end to what is an appalling abuse of power.”

Mark Castle, chief executive of the independent charity Victim Support, said: “These allegations are deeply concerning. The victims involved are some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who have been exploited by the people they should be able to trust the most, the police.

“In order to maintain public confidence in the police it’s critical that forces recognise this behaviour as the serious corruption that it is and report all cases to the IPCC to ensure that they are thoroughly and robustly investigated.”

The HMIC findings formed part of a broader inspection of police legitimacy, which concluded victims’ satisfaction with the way they were treated by police remained high. The investigation was ordered by the then home secretary, Theresa May.

But the inspectorate said forces still needed to become more proactive in rooting out officers and staff abusing power for sexual gain. This could involve profiling officers to single out those who might be likely to commit such abuse.

Cunningham said one of the reasons the inspectorate believed the figures belied a greater problem was that forces in England and Wales did not have a consistent and coherent approach to tackling the problem.

Not all forces class the abuse of authority for sexual gain as a serious corruption issue, which HMIC says they should. This would mean any allegation would be automatically referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for investigation.

HMIC was only able to find 40 cases on the national disapproved register in which officers or staff were dismissed for abusing power for sexual gain during the period in which more than 400 allegations were received.

“What’s less clear is what’s happening with those allegations, how those allegations are being pursued, how they translate into gross misconduct hearings and sackings,” Cunningham said.

HMIC said the problem remained despite recommendations in a 2012 IPCC report on the issue, which appear to have not been acted on.

In her speech to the Police Federation conference earlier this year, May said: “We know of officers who develop inappropriate relationships with victims of domestic abuse. They have ignored their professional duty and their moral responsibility, and instead abused their position of power to exploit victims. We do not know the true scale of this, but everyone in this room will know it goes on far more than we might care to admit.”

"

| Hundreds | police | England | Wales | accused | sexual | abuse | news | officers | being | sexually | abusing | victims | suspects | what | senior | watchdog | called | “the | most | serious | corruption | issue | facing | service” | p> Forces | across | received | allegations | power | gain | against | community | support | eight | staff | years | March | inspectors | believe | problem | even | more | prevalent | than | numbers | suggest | p> Despite | large | there | evidence | that | only | have | been | dismissed | authority | similar | period | p> Vulnerable | individuals | including | domestic | alcohol | drug | addicts | workers | arrested | were | among | those | targeted | Majesty’s | Inspectorate | Constabulary | (HMIC) | said | p> Victim | groups | findings | “deeply | concerning” | involved | some | vulnerable | people | society | p> Mike | Cunningham | inspector | constabulary | former | chief | constable | Staffordshire | said: | “This | service | What | worse | guardian | trust | confidence | abused | person | There | greater | violation | public | ”< | p> “It | probably | likely | reported | back | added | p> “In | many | cases | They | they’re | might | they | dependency | exploitation | where | becomes | abuser | p> One | high | profile | their | recent | history | Stephen | Mitchell | jailed | life | 2011< | raping | assaulting | women | p> Mitchell | with | Northumbria | heroin | shoplifters | disabled | teenager | offering | them | help | while | custody | then | demanding | favours | afterwards | p> Earlier | this | year | Robert | Dawson | Metropolitan | officer | alleged | rape | victim | formally | from | force | tribunal | heard | 2010 | investigating | allegation | assault | engaged | inappropriate | relationship | victim< | p> PC | Simon | Salway | witnesses | crime | fathered | child | exploited | found | guilty | charges | misconduct | office< | Luton | crown | court | last | p> HMIC | third | (39%) | part | research | inspectorate | carried | online | survey | practitioners | between | July | August | Sixty | (16%) | took | disclosed | member | exploit | develop | p> The | executive | violence | charity | Refuge | Sandra | Horley | “Widespread | reports | exploiting | horrific | unsurprising | p> “Refuge | glad | HMIC’s | report | shone | light | following | consultation | frontline | meant | protect | harm; | expected | fear | will | over | again | Women | right | safety | protection | commends | work | HMIC | already | done | improving | response | violence; | hope | mean | appalling | p> Mark | Castle | independent | Victim | Support | “These | deeply | concerning | should | able | order | maintain | it’s | critical | forces | recognise | behaviour | IPCC | ensure | thoroughly | robustly | investigated | formed | broader | inspection | legitimacy | which | concluded | victims’ | satisfaction | treated | remained | investigation | ordered | home | secretary | Theresa | May< | p> But | still | needed | become | proactive | rooting | This | could | involve | profiling | single | commit | such | p> Cunningham | reasons | believed | figures | belied | consistent | coherent | approach | tackling | p> Not | class | says | would | automatically | referred | Independent | Police< | Complaints | Commission | (IPCC) | find | national | disapproved | register | during | p> “What’s | less | clear | what’s | happening | pursued | translate | into | gross | hearings | sackings | despite | recommendations | 2012 | appear | acted | p> In | speech | Police | Federation | conference | earlier | “We | know | relationships | ignored | professional | duty | moral | responsibility | instead | position | true | scale | everyone | room | goes | care | admit | p> |

Thank Very Much for Read this Blog