In response to the Victims’ Commissioner’s report on Crown Courtroom delays, Julia Dwyer, Head of Providers at Refuge, stated:
“Right this moment’s report by Baroness Newlove is a devastating, but unsurprising, reflection of the truth many survivors of home abuse face. As revealed within the report, Crown Courtroom backlogs are at file ranges, and that is having severe penalties for survivors who’re ready for justice.
“The psychological affect of home abuse can’t be underestimated. It’s extremely widespread for survivors to method us with current psychological well being difficulties, usually ensuing from home abuse, just for these to be exacerbated by obtrusive flaws within the justice system. In flip, this could intervene with the survivor’s private life and employment, making a vicious cycle.
“Courtroom delays are deeply traumatic for a lot of survivors, and girls usually inform Refuge they really feel let down by the very system that’s supposed to guard them. Some even inform us they’ve given up hope, or that the delay to their perpetrator’s trial is hindering them from processing the abuse they’ve endured.
“Many survivors accessing Refuge’s providers at the moment are seeing their trial dates set for 2026, inflicting monumental misery whereas rising the chance that they’ll withdraw from proceedings. Even when trial dates are set, courts usually transfer these dates at brief discover, to the detriment of survivors’ wellbeing.
“Survivors deserve higher. The longer they’re made to attend for his or her perpetrator to be held accountable, the higher the trauma they endure. We urgently want important reform of the justice system to enhance outcomes for survivors, together with improved funding for specialist home abuse providers to make sure we are able to help all survivors dealing with court docket delays.”
