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"Not feeling believed" or experiencing "poor treatment" from Jersey justice system professionals may be among the reasons as many as two in five women and girls who believe they have been a victim of a violent or sexual crime are choosing not to take their complaints forward.
Express took a closer look at the issue...
According to the latest police annual report, the ‘no complaint rate’ – when a crime is recorded but the victim chooses not to proceed with a complaint – for crimes involving violence against women and girls (VAWG) has sat at around 40% for the last three years.
It's something the police are now seeking to tackle.
Pictured: For crimes involving violence against women and girls, the 'no complaint' rate has sat at around 40% for the last three years.
Police Authority Chair Simon Harman said the latest VAWG picture, including the ‘no complaint’ rate, was likely to be on the agenda at his next quarterly meeting with senior officers.
“I think ideally we would be looking for that figure to fall,” he said. “It’s currently stable, and we need to discuss in detail and look at the evidence behind that.”
It comes after the island's VAWG taskforce – a team made up of politicians and professionals working in the charitable and justice sectors – published a report outlining key ways to tackle the "very real" issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey last year.
Among its 77 recommendations to Government and other agencies, it called for an independent review of the Jersey criminal justice system in relation to domestic abuse, rape and serious sexual assault – and a similar review of the family court system.
It also found that "gaps" in Jersey's legislation were "undermining the ability of the criminal justice system to protect victim-survivors or effectively manage perpetrators".
Victim testimonies featured in the report revealed that a lack of trust in institutions has become a "barrier" to reporting – with concerns that "emotional abuse isn't seen as serious enough for the police".
The police accepted the relevant recommendations, committing to "continuously improving our ability to further build victim trust".
Kate Wright, Chair of the VAWG taskforce, said that victims withdrawing from the criminal justice process will "inevitably impact on the ability of justice system to hold perpetrators to account".
She outlined a number of reasons why victims of VAWG crimes might choose to withdraw a complaint.
Pictured: Kate Wright, Chair of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) taskforce.
Ms Wright explained that, for domestic abuse victims, it may be that they have returned to the relationship which has resulted in a discordance in proceeding with the prosecution of the abuser or due to concerns about the impact on the family unit.
She continued: "It may also be because the perpetrator of the abuse has successfully intimidated the victim which has resulted in them withdrawing the complaint.
"This might suggest that victims of domestic abuse aren’t receiving the support they need to successfully sever ties with their perpetrator."
The taskforce Chair suggested that the introduction of emergency barring orders – which the Government has committed to introducing by the end its term in office – would prevent suspected perpetrators of domestic abuse from contacting the victim or entering their shared residence whilst the police conduct an investigation.
Ms Wright said that "not feeling believed or experiencing poor treatment from professionals in the criminal justice system can significant undermine trust in the justice process and lead to complaint withdrawal".
Pictured: Some victims shared instances where police officers had behaved inappropriately or displayed victim-blaming attitudes.
She explained: "Some of the victims who contributed to the VAWG Taskforce report shared experiences where police officers had behaved inappropriately or displayed victim-blaming attitudes.
"Making sure that police officers are well trained to respond sensitively to victims and are equipped with a strong knowledge of the dynamics of VAWG crimes is crucial to ensuring victims feel believed and supported throughout the justice process.
"I understand that this is a priority for States of Jersey Police and they have dedicated a significant amount of resource to ensuring that their officers are receiving training on VAWG crimes in line with best practice."
The taskforce Chair said that regular communication with victims is "crucial".
"The investigative and prosecutorial processes that surround these crimes can be particularly complex and take a long time," she said.
"Victims need to understand what’s happening in their case so that they don’t feel their complaints have been forgotten."
Pictured: "Victims need to understand what’s happening in their case so that they don’t feel their complaints have been forgotten."
She explained that some of the victims who participated in the Taskforce research spoke about receiving very low levels of communication about the status of their cases.
"This points to a need for more funding and resource for the Jersey Domestic and Sexual Abuse Support Service whose staff provides guidance and support in criminal proceedings, alongside a range of other forms of practical and emotional support for victims," said Ms Wright.
Ms Wright said that "significant delays" in the justice process can also result in victims withdrawing complaints.
She noted that research indicates that one of the main reasons victims of VAWG crimes withdraw complaints is a desire to move on.
The VAWG taskforce Chair explained: "We have recently heard from a victim who felt that the length of time the police investigation took was emotionally damaging and felt more consideration should be provided to victims in court proceedings.
"This would point to a need for more dedicated funding in the criminal justice response to VAWG crimes, so that justice for these victims is swift and they are sooner able to move on from what has happened and begin to heal."
Pictured: "Significant delays" in the justice process can also result in victims withdrawing complaints.
Ms Wright concluded that building trust in the criminal justice response to VAWG crimes is "crucial" reducing complaint withdrawal.
She said: "The Government’s acceptance of the taskforce recommendation for an independent review of the criminal justice response to these crimes should hopefully help to build trust in the system by opening it up to independent scrutiny and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement in this area."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, please see links below for support:
Jersey Domestic Abuse Support: 01534 880505
JAAR – Jersey Action Against Rape: 01534 482800
Dewberry House Sexual Assault Referral Centre: 01534 888222
FREEDA (formerly Jersey Women's Refuge): 0800 7356836
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