Greater Manchester Police probe treatment of women in custody after rape and strip search complaint
The Independent spoke to Zayna Iman, who claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted in custody
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An independent inquiry will look into Greater Manchester Police’s treatment of women and girls in custody after a woman claimed she was drugged and raped in a cell.
The review, commissioned by mayor Andy Burnham, will look at the use of strip searches, the removal and replacement of clothing and intimate searches.
It will also focus on the care of female detainees and how complaints are dealt with, as well as looking at any inequality between the treatment of men and women.
It comes after Zayna Iman claimed to The Independent that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted while being held in custody in February 2021.
Ms Iman, who has waived her right to anonymity to speak out, was detained during the early hours of 5 February and was transported to a nearby police station, where her clothes were removed.
Over the next 40 hours, she was strip searched and remained in a state of undress for prolonged periods of time.
The Independent has been shown CCTV footage from her cell, which appears to show Ms Iman in a state of distress with her top removed.
After requesting the footage and documents in February 2021, she received them a year later, but two hours of footage was missing from the tapes. Ms Iman claims a police officer asked whether she’d “had anal sex before” before the screen goes blank at 9.49am.
At other points, she can be seen pointing to what looks like bloodstains on the bench, while her medical report states that she was “bleeding from places she shouldn’t be bleeding”.
After being released from custody at 7.48pm, she attended hospital and remained there for five days.
Recalling her condition at the time, Ms Iman said: “My back passage hurt. Everything inside hurt, and I was struggling to walk, and my friends will tell you that when they picked me up five days later from the hospital I was still struggling to walk.”
On 9 February, a doctor noted: “Zayna has spent time with staff trying to make sense of the things that have happened and has now queried whether she was actually raped by the police.
The report concludes that Ms Iman, “who does not have any prior history of mental disorder”, was admitted with an acute psychotic episode that was resolved without treatment.
“It is highly likely that this is drug related to ‘the date rape drug’ which led to a sexual assault.”
Greater Manchester Police have referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is investigating to determine if further action is required.
Known as the Baird Inquiry, the newly commissioned probe will examine the experiences of three women and will assess if current GMP policy and procedures are fit for purpose.
Led by Dame Vera Baird KC, a barrister and former Labour MP who served as Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales from 2019 to 2022, it is expected to publish its findings in autumn 2023.
Kate Green, deputy mayor for policing, crime, criminal justice and fire, said: “The mayor and I were both concerned when we saw recent reports in the media.
“When issues like these present themselves, we will face them head-on and leave no stone unturned to establish what happened and what must be learnt.
“Dame Vera Baird KC, with her wealth of experience, is the perfect person to carry out this Inquiry and people can be assured that her work will be thorough and of the highest quality.
“The safety of women and girls is a huge priority for the mayor and me. We have made no secret of that before and it remains as important as ever.”
“That is why we have acted quickly so we can be sure that women and girls have confidence that they will be treated with dignity by Greater Manchester Police if they report a crime, or are taken into custody, and that actions of staff are appropriate.
“Ultimately, women and girls must have confidence in their police force, particularly when reporting crime, and we want the Baird Inquiry to help enhance this.”
Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)