Sexual assault survivor has shown ‘heroism’ in support of inquiry

Content Warning — Discusses the investigation of sexual assault and domestic abuse.

A Met Police detective has praised a sexual assault survivor for helping an investigation that led to the jailing of her rapist.

Michael Wynter, 34, from Lambeth, was found guilty of raping a woman between 2019 and 2021 and was jailed for seven years at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 30 April.

Detective Constable Adam Conibeere said Wynter raped a woman while she was asleep or unconscious.

Wynter was arrested in December 2021 after police obtained a formal statement from the complainant and collected evidence from the suspect and the complainant.

In a press statement, inquiry lead Conibeere said: “I would like to commend the surviving victim who bravely handled the entire investigation and court process and I can only hope that this outcome will help give her some comfort and bring him the closure he deserves. trying to move on with his life.

“She showed incredible strength and heroism when she came forward to report the matter after much consideration because she didn’t want anyone else to suffer because of Wynter.”

Wynter was placed on the sex offenders’ register in 2021 after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child between 2002 and 2003.

This arrest is a small victory after a UN expert, special rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem, declared violence against women and girls a national threat in the UK in February.

In the year ending March 2023, 1.4 million women were victims of domestic abuse offences, according to the Office for National Statistics.

A similar report in November 2023 found that two women were killed a week by a former or current partner in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Police receive domestic abuse calls every 30 seconds, according to the National Center on Domestic Abuse.

The Met’s mission to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) began in 2022 and has since been expanded in its 2023 action plan.

The 2023 Action Plan to End VAWG encompasses building trust and confidence, relentlessly pursuing perpetrators, and creating safer spaces for women and girls.

To deliver these plans, the Met Police plans to expand VAWG teams, provide support to VAWG survivors during investigations and end police-perpetrated VAWG.

Conibeere said: “Tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority for the Met.

“We will continue to do everything we can to get predatory criminals off London’s streets, while supporting complainants and helping them every step of the way.”

Since the UN announcement, politicians and senior police officers have promised new solutions to the growing problem of VAWG.

Newly re-elected London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to use the lived experiences of VAWG survivors to make London safer for women and girls.

Ahead of his re-election, Khan said he would hold women’s safety audits in five locations to assess the safety of women in London, focusing on public spaces.

According to the Evening Standard, Khan said: “This ground-breaking new study will put the first-hand experiences of women and girls right at the heart of how we make decisions about safety in London.

“Whether it’s how we design our subway or bus stops, or whether we prioritize new lighting or other safety measures, it will ensure that investment directly reflects the lived experiences of women and girls.”

Police in the UK are taking the campaign to end VAWG a step further as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley compared VAWG to terrorism.

According to ITV, Rowley said: “The national aim should be to treat it as a threat to national security, as we treat organized crime, as we treat terrorism.”

If you or someone you know has experienced domestic abuse and you fear for their safety, contact the National Domestic Abuse Center on 0800 970 2070 or text NCDV to 60777.

Feature image credit – Tony Hisgett, Creative Commons Wikimedia license