Complaint
The programme included a discussion prompted by a report by the National Police Chiefs鈥 Council (NPCC) which said violence against women and girls had reached 鈥渆pidemic levels鈥 in England and Wales.聽 A listener complained that 鈥渇ocusing only on one group鈥 was divisive and argued that the programme should have challenged the NPCC鈥檚 decision to confine its enquiries to women and girls, rather than reporting on violence against adults and children in general.聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the section of the Editorial Guidelines (Section 1.2) which sets out the 麻豆社鈥檚 editorial values.
Outcome
Section 1.2 recognises the 麻豆社鈥檚 right to freedom of expression and the open exchange of information and ideas. 聽Among other things, this means that, where there is a clear editorial justification for reporting the views of individuals or groups on matters of public interest, the 麻豆社 is entitled to do so. 聽The NPCC had published a report reflecting concerns about an increase in the number of crimes of violence against women and girls, and there was a clear editorial justification for reporting this and discussing the issues it raised.聽 There was no requirement on the programme to question why the NPCC鈥檚 report had not taken violence against other groups within its purview.
Not upheld