The Government have announced support for the introduction of a Victims’ Law. Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive of Victim Support, Diana Fawcett, said:

We warmly welcome the commitment by Government to introduce a Victims’ Law capable of guaranteeing rights and support for victims of crime.

“This legislation must include key rights for victims, such as receiving updates about their case, and the opportunity to make a Victim Personal Statement to tell the court in their own words how the crime has affected them. Any Victims’ Law must also ensure that those affected by crime always have access to independent support services.”

“The legislation must ensure that victims can hold criminal justice agencies to account for the level of service and support that they provide. A single complaints system must be introduced to ensure victims can challenge agencies if their rights have not been met.”

“We look forward to working with the government to ensure that the Victims’ Law is robust and leads to real and tangible improvements for victims.”