Gaia Pope's family launching 'manifesto' to improve policing and mental health services

The Dorset teenager died in 2017

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 12th Oct 2022

The family of Dorset teenager Gaia Pope will outline a new manifesto later (Wednesday 12th October) - detailing her story and their demands for change in policing and mental health support systems.

The 19 year old's body was found at Dancing Ledge 11 days after she went missing in Swanage back in 2017.

Gaia suffered with epilepsy and a post-mortem examination found she had died from hypothermia.

An event's being held in London this evening to launch the manifesto, with the aim of preventing further deaths.

Marienna Pope-Weidemann, Gaia’s cousin, says:

"The inquest into Gaia's death exposed stunning failures by frontline services but ultimately, it perpetuated and defended the culture that killed her: a toxic combination of austerity and misogyny that pollutes our public services, cripples our justice system and threatens our human rights."

Rape Crisis England & Wales will also be at the event later - their CEO Jayne Butler says:

“The Rape Crisis movement has supported thousands of women and girls whose experiences have been similar to Gaia’s – those who have been failed by the system. As this campaign seeks justice for Gaia, it also demands justice for all women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused, acknowledging that the institutions in place to protect them can and must do better.”

Deborah Coles, director of INQUEST, says:

“The voices of bereaved families are a powerful force. The Justice for Gaia campaign is an important part of a wider movement challenging violence against women and girls, and the way in which this intersects with policing, mental health, race, class and disability. INQUEST stands alongside this campaign in the fight for systemic change.”

Gaia’s family have also launched a petition calling on Dorset Police to invest in a Rape & Serious Sexual Offenses (RASSO) Unit to support survivors and tackle what is now the most commonly reported offense in the county.

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