Young sex-abuse victims ‘are not taken seriously’
CHILDREN are not being taken seriously when they report violent and sexual crimes, the government’s victims tsar has warned.
Criminal justice agencies are at risk of failing youngsters who feel they are being let down by the system that is meant to protect them, according to Baroness Newlove.
The Victims’ Commissioner will publish a review today which found children and teenagers were made to feel like criminals themselves, accused of wasting police time or simply not believed.
Citing previous inquiries into the Rotherham and Jimmy Savile abuse scandals, the report says: “It seems that lessons are still not being learnt about believing young victims when they come forward and taking them seriously.”
Twelve females aged between nine and 17, or their parents, were interviewed about the handling of reports of sexual or violent crimes.
Many of the children and their families did not feel they were treated
“The bravery shown by young survivors of abuse in plucking up courage to relive their ordeals in court is not met with enough compassion or support.”
Barnardo’s chief executive, Javed Khan, said: “It takes a huge amount of courage for children to come forward and report abuse so it’s vital they are taken seriously.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We are putting children first at every stage of the justice system – removing the stress of appearing in court through pre-recorded evidence, and doubling the number of intermediaries to help children give evidence.
“While we welcome Baroness Newlove’s report and will consider its findings carefully, it is important to note that they are based on a very small sample of victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system.
“We will publish our victims strategy by the end of the year, and will also set out further measures to support victims through the forthcoming Prisons and Courts Bill.”