14 Sep 2026 11:00
Gendered Police Violence: The Crimes the Media Won't Name
Police shootings make headlines. Police officers sexually abusing children and adults rarely do. This week we sit down with Rachel LaPointe, a social worker turned independent investigator, who tracks gendered police violence across the country: officers caught paying minors for sex, school resource officers abusing students on duty, and departments that quietly rehire known offenders after six-figure settlements.
We dig into why prosecutors almost never hold these officers accountable, and why the media routinely softens coverage, describing abuse of a minor as an officer who "had sex with a student," as if a child can consent. Rachel explains the institutional complicity behind these cases, including a school district police force that hired an officer whose former department had already paid $1.5 million to settle a sexual misconduct claim.
A difficult but necessary conversation about power, silence, and what real accountability would require.
Follow Rachel's ongoing investigations:TikTok: @rachel_mleInstagram: @rachelmlapSubstack: genderedpoliceabuse.substack.com
