Domestic abuse victims turned away by clogged up justice system says Labour

A damning new report released today reveals the extent of the government’s failure to support domestic abuse victims over the lockdown period.

The report by Victim Support finds:

- 66 per cent of respondents believe the lockdown has created additional barriers to victims’ engagement with the criminal justice system.

- Victims of domestic abuse have been encouraged by police to take civil action rather than criminal prosecution due the criminal court backlog of nearly 50,000 serious criminal cases.

- Victims of domestic abuse have been left in ‘limbo’ as they are told their cases will not get to trial until 2022.

David Lammy MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, said:

“Ten years of cuts and court closures combined with the government’s incompetent handling of the pandemic has let victims down.

“Victims of domestic abuse in particular urgently need additional support as the country looks ahead to months more of lockdown restrictions.

“The backlog of serious criminal cases must finally be prioritised by Ministers. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Ends

Note to editors

Victim Support’s full report is available here: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020_Crime_and_Covid19_Impact_report.pdf