Let’s put victims at the centre of our justice system – Kate Wallace

Anyone, anywhere, at any given time could potentially become a victim of a crime. For those experiencing the criminal justice system for the first time, it can be a confusing and complicated experience compounded by the fact that you are likely to have been traumatised by the crime itself.

But there is some light at the end of the tunnel. We have an opportunity right now in Scotland to improve our justice system, and support services, by putting victims and witnesses first.

This week marks Victims Awareness Week in Scotland, which is a national awareness week championing the voices, experiences and rights of those affected by crime. For us at Victim Support Scotland, it is the beginning of a wider campaign to make sure victims know what their rights are before they need to use them.

We have themed the week intentionally as ‘Your rights, your code’ as this speaks directly to what us Scottish citizens are entitled to under the Victims’ Code for Scotland, which sets out what our rights are and how to exercise them.

As part of Victims Awareness Week, we have submitted a motion to Parliament to raise awareness of rights and sharing experiences of crime and the criminal justice system. We will also host a Parliamentary Reception tomorrow to bring the voices and experiences of victims to decision makers.

When it comes to supporting someone in the aftermath of a crime, you cannot make assumptions based on someone’s background or identity. Victim Support Scotland believes that agencies and support organisations have more work to do to communicate clearly with victims and witnesses of crime to make sure they know what their rights are, and that this information is provided in the most accessible way.

Digital technology has moved on leaps and bounds in recent years and it is important that organisations recognise that this is reflected in the types of crimes that are being committed, and what needs to be done in response to them.

Technology is also a great enabler and is a way for support organisations to reach out to communities and individuals who have not previously used services. As a charity that was formed 35 years ago this year, Victim Support Scotland is moving with the times and we have already made some changes to the way we interact with people who need our support: we revamped our website at the end of last year making easy-to-access information readily available in a way that is helpful in the aftermath of a crime; and we introduced a new webchat facility which means that our support workers are available to provide information discretely to those who are initially reluctant to call or meet in person. Throughout Victims Awareness Week we are promoting a number of stories, blog posts and videos from victims and from our sector which demonstrate the important of knowing your rights.

I believe that to create a better justice system, and to improve support services, that we must listen directly to the experience of victims and witnesses directly. We are therefore calling out for more victims and witnesses to come forward and share their experience directly with us. This opens up the chance for this experience to be heard by decision-makers at a national level, allowing positive change to take place that puts victims and their families first.  

Kate Wallace is CEO at Victim Support Scotland, You can join in the conversation about Victims Awareness Week on Twitter using the hashtag #kenyourcode. Further details can be found at victimsupport.scot