Ex-police officer says she was sexually assaulted by senior officer in forest

Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Rhianon Argent, who was previously a Police Constable for Hampshire Police, told The Independent she felt “intimidated” by the police officers who investigated the complaint of assault she made back in 2007. Discussing her time as a police officer more generally, Ms Argent said she had a “really rough time” and would routinely listen to male officers “make unacceptable jokes that today would be considered to be sexist or sick.” Ms Argent, who was in an all-male team of officers, added: “I would patrol around the pubs on Friday evenings with an all-male shift and hear them saying derogatory and nasty things about the women who’d been drinking. They would openly flirt with women.” Ms Argent argued the police can attract individuals who are “power-hungry” and relish in controlling others due to their own lack of self-esteem. A spokesperson for the police service where Ms Argent worked said the case was “investigated thoroughly at the time by our Professional Standards Department and the male officer faced a misconduct hearing and received a formal written warning”.