It is “totally irresponsible” to encourage abuse victims to come forward without a specialized support system in place, according to campaigners.
In an open letter, 150 organizations, including Rape Crisis and Refuge, demand that the forthcoming Victims Bill include fully-funded assistance.
It was written by a lady whose partner helped convict their abusive running coach but committed suicide.
The government asserts that it is enhancing assistance for victims at every stage.
As adolescents, letter writer Charlie Webster and her companion Katie were members of the same running group in Sheffield. The closest buddies never revealed that their coach Paul North had sexually abused them for years.
In 2002, North was sentenced to ten years in prison after Katie and another victim reported him to authorities. Then 18 years old, she dared to testify against him in court.
Sue, Katie’s mother, felt abandoned by a criminal justice system that prioritised offenders over victims.
“In a way, she was sacrificed,” she explained. She was abandoned by the police and the running club and left to fend for herself.
Katie received very little therapeutic support during the court procedure and none in the twenty years that followed.
Sue added, “I cannot imagine how she could have gotten over that and moved on with her life.”
While North served only half of his sentence, his victims continued to experience trauma. This culminated in Katie’s suicide at her residence in Australia in January of this year, at the age of 39. Her mother stated that she had never gotten over what transpired.
On Monday, the House of Commons will hold a debate on the Victims and Prisoners Bill. Which aims to provide enhanced, legally-defined assistance to crime victims in England and Wales.
However, advocates are concerned that a crucial component is missing: guaranteed funding written into law to provide the specialized support services required to assist these victims in recovering from their trauma.
The missive was sent to Justice Secretary Alex Chalk by Ms. Webster and the charity Rape Crisis. Among its signatories are organizations such as Women’s Aid as well as the athletes Sebastian Coe and Paula Radcliffe.
In the open letter, Ms. Webster tells Katie’s tale and explains that her friend complied with society’s expectations.
She writes, “She spoke out, she stood tall despite victim blaming, and others were saved as a result of her courage.” “Katie performed her civic duties. However, what about Katie? How did the system assist her? She deserved better.”
Ms. Webster advises the secretary of justice to allocate adequate multiyear funding to ensure that victims have access to counseling and emotional support to help them rebuild their lives.
Professional support services are in high demand. But chronic underfunding makes survivors wait months or years for care, the letter states.
Sexual Assault Crisis According to England and Wales, there are 14,000 survivors on their waiting lists.
Ms. Webster continues, “It is irresponsible and dangerous to raise awareness of victims’ rights and then deny them access to any assistance or support they are entitled to.”
Ms. Webster stated on Radio 4’s Today program that navigating the justice system can be “extremely traumatic” and that there is a “disconnect” between victims, the justice system, and the government.
Jayne Butler, the chief executive officer of Rape Crisis, stated that demand for the organization’s services increased by 38% over the past year, “clearly demonstrating the pressures on specialist services that have been unable to meet demand for a long time.”
“I’d like to see a Victims Bill that grants victims and survivors what Katie and Charlie did not have. “If the government is serious about making a difference with this bill, it must provide the necessary funding,” she added.
In its report on the proposed legislation, the bipartisan Justice Committee stated that an underlying theme of its investigation was that victim support services already confronted unmanageable levels of referrals and caseloads.
“We caution that the bill risks raising victims’ awareness of their rights, only to leave them unable to access them because the relevant services are already operating at capacity,” the statement read.
Labor is demanding that the government make several changes to the proposed law. Including guaranteeing that rape survivors receive free legal counsel to reduce the number of cases that are dropped before trial.
It also wants the Victims’ Commissioner to have more authority to hold the government accountable, including producing an annual report to Parliament, and for the Victims’ Code to include victims of antisocial behavior.
The Ministry of Justice commended Katie’s family and friends for their courage in sharing her story.
In a statement, a spokesman said, “Through our new Victims and Prisoners Bill, we are enhancing support for victims at every stage by establishing clear expectations for the assistance and information they should receive from the police and courts.
This is in addition to our pledge to quadruple funding for victim support services. Last year, we awarded £4.5m to charities to finance vital support for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Ensuring that victims of this heinous crime receive the assistance they require.
