A black schoolgirl was strip searched by the Metropolitan Police who knew she was on her period and wrongly suspected her of carrying cannabis.
The ‘traumatic’ search took place at the girl’s school in Hackney, east London, without another adult present, according to a safeguarding report.
It concluded the search at the end of 2020 was unjustified and racism was ‘likely’ an influencing factor.
The report said the impact on the secondary school pupil – referred to as Child Q – was ‘profound’ and the repercussions ‘obvious and ongoing’.
Family members described her as changing from a ‘happy-go-lucky girl’ to a ‘timid recluse’ who hardly speaks, self-harms and needs therapy.
Scotland Yard has issued an apology and admitted the incident ‘should never have happened’.
Officers arrived at the school after being called by teachers, who said they were concerned the teenager had drugs because she smelt of cannabis.
She was taken to the medical room and strip searched by two female officers, while teachers remained outside.
During the ordeal, her intimate body parts were exposed and she was asked to take off her sanitary towel.
No drugs were found. She was then sent home by taxi and later shared her distress with her mother.
Her family strongly believe the strip search was a racist incident, and a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review found her experiences are ‘unlikely to have been the same’ had she not been black.
It said it is highly likely that ‘adultification bias’ was a factor – where adults perceive black children as being older than they are because they see them as more ‘streetwise’.
It read: ‘The disproportionate decision to strip search Child Q is unlikely to have been disconnected from her ethnicity and her background as a child growing up on an estate in Hackney.’
In a written statement to the review, the girl said she cannot go a single day ‘without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up.’
She said: ‘All the people that allowed this to happen need to be held responsible. I was held responsible for a smell … but I’m just a child.
‘The main thing I need is space and time to understand what has happened to me and exactly how I feel about it and getting past this exam season.’
She added: ‘I need to know that the people who have done this to me can’t do it to anyone else ever again, in fact so no one else can do this to any other child in their care.’
Councillor Anntoinette Bramble said she was ‘appalled’ by all aspects of the review.
She said: ‘Child Q was subjected to humiliating, traumatising and utterly shocking treatment by police officers – actions that were wholly disproportionate to the alleged incident to which they had been called.
‘This is exacerbated by the fact that the strip search was carried out at school – a place where the child had an expectation of safety, security and care.
‘Instead, she was let down by those who were meant to protect her.’
Detective Superintendent Dan Rutland said: ‘We recognise that the findings of the safeguarding review reflect this incident should never have happened.
‘It is truly regrettable and on behalf of the Met Police I would like to apologise to the child concerned, her family and the wider community.’
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