Instagram story viewer> @ldnvictimscomm> Posts

London's Victims' Commissioner

@ldnvictimscomm

1.3K

followers

281

following

Official account of London's Victims' Commissioner - Andrea Simon

POSTS STORIES REELS

It was a pleasure to attend the event marking the submission of ‘That’s what happens on the internet,’ the proposed police super complaint on systemic failures in the policing of image based abuse.

Huge congratulations and thanks to Not Your Porn, the Centre for Women’s Justice, and Leigh Day for bringing this together, and to the survivors whose voices are at the heart of it.

The NCVPP VAWG strategic threat assessment clearly identified tech enabled harm as a rising threat, and we know victims don’t always get the best response when they report online abuse. This super complaint is a vital step towards the systemic change that’s needed. by @ldnvictimscomm

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) ends at 16. Young people’s questions about abuse, consent and healthy relationships don’t.

I’m proud to support @KilledWomen and @MakeItMandatory in launching The Unofficial Curriculum, a mock textbook showing what young people learn when there’s no real education to turn to.

16 to 19-year-olds experience the highest rates of domestic abuse of any age group, yet hundreds of thousands of 16 to 18-year-olds in further education aren’t guaranteed lessons on consent, coercive control or the signs of abuse. That is a loophole in the law, and it leaves young people without education at the very age they are most at risk.

On 4th December, MPs will debate the Relationships and Sex Education (Further Education Sector) Bill. It would close a pressing gap by making RSE compulsory up to 18, so that all young people are taught about domestic abuse, what a healthy relationship looks like and where to turn if something isn’t right. I urge MPs to back it.

#MakeItMandatory #BackTheBill by @ldnvictimscomm

My thoughts on the government’s response to the Leveson Review: reform must urgently tackle court delays and put victims’ needs and experience at the heart of the criminal justice system. @mojgovuk by @ldnvictimscomm

My response to the End-to-End Soteria pilot study. More needs to be done to embed Soteria principles in the courtroom and ensure a victim centred approach throughout the justice process. by @ldnvictimscomm

This week I opened @barnardos_uk National FGM Centre’s conference on protective orders. This event had a tangible aim: to empower professionals with the knowledge and confidence to use Orders effectively to safeguard at-risk young women and girls from forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).

The learnings from the conference were invaluable. When these protection orders are understood and used effectively, they can make a life-changing difference. by @ldnvictimscomm

I’m pleased to see domestic abuse flags now being implemented as early prison releases begin. Justice agencies must have the information and tools they need to identify risk and keep victims safe from further harm.

Read my full statement ☝️ by @ldnvictimscomm

The Government has dropped proposals for judge-only trials from the Courts and Tribunals Bill. This must not distract from the urgent problem facing victims: a national Crown Court backlog of more than 80,000 cases.

We now need action to tackle the backlog and deliver a justice system that works for victims. by @ldnvictimscomm

I spoke to the BBC about the early release scheme, which came into force today. The prison system is clearly facing an acute crisis, and urgent interventions are necessary to address it. However, the decisions taken to manage the crisis should not come at the expense of victims’ safety or confidence in the justice system.

Over recent months, I have called on the Government to address weaknesses in the safety planning and management of offenders that could leave victims at heightened risk when offenders are released from prison early.I remain deeply concerned that these gaps have not been adequately addressed.

Victims must be at the heart of decisions about how offenders are managed and released. They need to have confidence that their safety is being properly assessed, that relevant agencies are communicating effectively, and that appropriate protections are in place before an offender is released. by @ldnvictimscomm

Thank you for having me @bbctodayprogramme to talk about the first tranche of early prisoner releases. If you are concerned about changes to an offender’s release date please call @victimsupport_uk new dedicated national helpline ok 0808 168 9280. by @ldnvictimscomm

I spoke to @bbcnews about Dogan’s case, a stark illustration of what can happen when victims’ safety is not prioritised. It is unacceptable that it was the victims and their families who felt forced to leave their home and move into temporary accommodation after Dogan was bailed to the address he had been offending from.

It raises serious questions about the justice system’s ability to manage the influx of offenders into the community following the early prisoner release scheme in October. Pressure to reduce the remand population cannot come at the expense of victims’ safety.

Parallels can be drawn with this case and the handling of serial sex offender and murderer Simon Levy, who was also shockingly bailed and allowed to continue his offending. In Levy’s case I have called on government to commit to a muti-agency review to examine and learn from the significant cross justice agency failings from the police, crown prosecutors and the courts around information sharing and understanding and responding to risk. by @ldnvictimscomm

Yesterday I spoke to @bbclondon in response to the latest Crown Court backlog figure, which now stands at 80,829 cases waiting to be heard. Sustained underinvestment in our court estate over the last decade has contributed to systemic problems, including shortages of barristers and advocates, delays in bringing defendants to court, and inadequate pre-trial preparation. The result are agonising delays with victims too often bearing the brunt of these failures. by @ldnvictimscomm

My response to today’s @mojgovuk announcement on the roll-out of specialist courtrooms in every Crown Court across the country for cases of rape and serious sexual offences. by @ldnvictimscomm