END OF BAN ON ABUSE COMPO
A RULE barring survivors of child sexual abuse from claiming compensation is to be scrapped under a Government shake-up announced today.
Justice Secretary David Gauke said a review will see an end to the so-called Same Roof Rule, which barred children abused by their own parents before 1979 from getting any cash for their ordeals.
The move comes after the Sunday Mirror revealed how scores of victims were losing out because of the law, which was originally introduced to stop money intended for victims ending up in the hands of their attackers instead.
Mr Gauke said: “Whilst no amount of compensation can make up for the immense suffering endured by victims of violent crime, it is vital they receive the help and support needed to rebuild their lives.
“Today I’m announcing that we will review the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to ensure it reflects the changing nature of crime and can better support victims, especially of historic and current child abuse.”
Ursula Martin, 54, who was raped by her brother when she was 11, might have been in line for £27,000 if her abuse had happened at a later date.
She said: “I’m over the moon. I will use this compensation to pay for mental health support.”
Mr Gauke’s announcement was hailed as “an amazing development” by Alistair Smith, a solicitor with the firm Watson Woodhouse in Middlesbrough, who represented a victim in a high-profile legal challenge.