Over the course of two years, the London Metropolitan Police subjected more than 600 children to "intrusive and traumatic" nudity tests, noting that black boys were disproportionately targeted. , as shown by the new statistics.
Data from Scotland Yard, which has been decried as "disturbing and frightening" by campaigners, shows that between 2018 and 2020, 650 children from his 10-year-old to her 17-year-old It reveals that the young man was trained by officials of the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Of these, 58 percent were described by the police officers involved as black and more than 95 percent were juveniles.
After the Child Q scandal came to light in March, Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel De Souza demanded the numbers.
A 15-year-old schoolgirl was searched naked by London Metropolitan Police while she was on her period after she was falsely suspected of possessing cannabis at school.
A search conducted by a female police officer was carried out in 2020 without the presence of another adult and knew she was menstruating, a protection report found.
City & A review conducted by the Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership concluded that searches for nudity should never have taken place, were unjustified, and that racism was "likely an influencing factor." attached.
Four Met officers are under investigation for serious misconduct by the Independent Police Action Service in connection with this incident. Scotland Yard apologized and said it "shouldn't have happened".
According to today's figures, the number of child nudity tests is increasing year by year, with 18% in 2018, 36% the following year and 46% in 2020. rice field.
Surprisingly, nearly a quarter (23%) were performed without confirmation of the presence of a 'suitable adult'.
This is required by law, except in "emergency" cases, usually a parent or guardian, but can also be a social worker, caregiver or volunteer.
Overall, 53% of all strip searches resulted in no further action, suggesting that it was "likely not justified or necessary in all cases."
She said:
"I am still not convinced that [the military] consistently considers the well-being and welfare of children."
I have confirmed that I have submitted the figures to Baroness Louise Casey, who is doing The Commissioner's team will also request comparable data from all police forces across England.
Zita Holborn, national president and co-founder of Black Activists Against the Cut, denounced the "disturbing" findings, stating:
"Such a high proportion of [victims] blacks culminates racial profiling police and indicates systemic racism within the police force.
}"It is alarming that the police are empowered to abuse children in this way without considering their human rights and the devastating impact of nudity searches on children.
"This is unacceptable. This is another horrifying example of the MET's abuse of law and rights in the name of upholding the law and must be stopped." }
Weyman Bennett of Stand Up To Racism warned of "systemic racism targeting children," telling Star: to stop this practice.
"It's illegal according to the police, so why is it so prevalent? It's a class-based injustice, an injustice we must ban."
The Children's Society warned that young people "are failing utterly when intrusive and traumatic searches are conducted without basic safeguards in place." and the Runnymede Trust called the findings "appalling."
Chief Executive Dr.
"These experiences form the primary lens through which children view police and teachers when searches are conducted in schools.
"This is the beginning of a breakdown in trust in the people and institutions supposedly there to protect and keep them safe.
``Criminalization and adulthood are traumatic and unexciting. We need to help our children believe they can achieve whatever they want in this life.We know their experience couldn't be better."
A spokesman for Labor's London mayor Sadiq Khan said he had asked the MET to conduct a review of all strip searches for children "to ensure lessons were learned".
Sir Mark Rowley, who took over as Commissioner of the Met last month to replace Sir Cressida Dick, said: "The entire force is committed to ensuring that every Londoner feels protected and served.
A spokesman for the Met said the police "will ensure that children subject to intrusive searches are treated appropriately and respectfully."
"We are already making changes and We continue to work hard to balance the police need for these types of searches with the huge impact it can have on young people.
new understanding of the requirement that a suitable adult be present. provided advice to officers on interactions with schools to ensure that