The Attorney General Victoria KC MP speaks about improved service for victims of rape and serious sexual offence
In the criminal justice system, increasing rape prosecutions and convictions is our job. Increasing victims’ confidence in the system and achieving justice; that’s also our duty.
Any crime can have a long-lasting impact on its victims, but for those affected by rape and serious sexual offences, the damage can run particularly deep and stay with survivors for the rest of their lives. They deserve justice.
But I hear the same disheartening message from the survivors I speak to around the country—that the road to justice can be is so long and so difficult that they feel there is no point in reporting these offences.
That is why this government has committed to making the system work better for people - and two years on from the Government’s End to End Rape Review, strong progress has been made to transform the response to rape. But we want to go further – and today we are announcing further measures to make that possible.
We know better joint-working between the Police and CPS leads to more perpetrators facing justice. So a new National Operating Model produced through Operation Soteria, a project to transform the way these complex cases are handled, is being rolled out to every police force and every rape prosecutor across England and Wales.
The support starts when these crimes are reported. Frontline investigators will now have step-by-step guidance on conducting these sensitive investigations, and 2,000 officers will undergo specialist training in rape and sexual offences. A step-by-step toolkit will ensure that investigations are focused on the conduct of the suspect and mindful of the rights and privacy of the victims.
Before cases go to trial, victims now have the right to meetings with prosecution teams to ask questions and raise concerns. Victims can also seek support from trained professionals on a 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line. And we are again increasing access to Independent Sexual Violence Advisers who can offer tailored, practical support.
When it is time for the trial, specialist rape prosecutors can put their expertise to work. And victims can claim expenses, including childcare costs, incurred by appearing in court.
At the conclusion of the trial, even more victims in Specialist Sexual Violence Courts will have the option to attend sentencing hearings remotely. No one should have to feel unsafe to access justice.
I feel deeply the concerns and anxieties of survivors when it comes to engaging with the criminal justice system. It is to them that I say– I cannot promise you that it will be easy, but support is available. Justice is available.