Home Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by British Naturism [LSP 44]

I understand that the Committee are holding a session on police standards so it is an opportune time to draw to your attention a growing problem. In order to keep this email as brief as possible I will not go into any details but we can provide further information on request.

The increasing institutional gymnophobia amongst police officers is having a serious chilling effect on the practice of Naturism, and there are about four million self professed naturists in the UK (Ipsos MORI 2011). We only deal with a relatively small number of cases of police action against our members but in recent years roughly a third of the complainants have been off duty police officers. If on duty officers are included the proportion approaches a half. The acquittal rate, for those who are able to mount a defence, has been 100%. It is of very serious concern that some people have felt unable to mount a defence due to the cost, the stress, and the risks associated with publicity.

Off duty police officers have become a running joke amongst naturists who follow naturist legal affairs. The alienation is growing.

There are two major problems:

1.inadequate diversity and human rights training. Often it doesn’t even occur to officers that naturists also have rights; and/or

2.an unthinking assumption that all public place nudity must automatically be a serious sexual offence and that any likely sounding offence must be applicable.

The initial arrest is usually for “indecent exposure”, an offence that does not even exist, and there then follows a daisy chain of mistakes and wasted money before the case is dropped or an acquittal results. That is little consolation for people who have lost their job or are thousands of pounds out of pocket due to the inadequate compensation.

It is essential that from the start of the process, the police get it right. We hope that the committee will be able to raise these issues with the police.

Malcolm Boura
Research and Liaison Officer
British Naturism

April 2013