A Jersey charity has accused the government of failing to make sexual violence a priority, as England and Wales prepare to introduce specialist courtrooms for rape cases.
Tracey Le Brocq, chief executive of Jersey Action Against Rape, said the “silence is deafening” from Jersey’s government on support for survivors of violence against women and girls and sexual violence.
She said a previous government had committed to prioritising that support, but questioned what the Island’s new elected representatives would do to improve its systems and justice services.
“The issues have not gone away,” she wrote. “The systems are not in place where this can simply be swept under the rug.”
Her comments follow a UK government announcement that every Crown Court in England and Wales will have at least one courtroom equipped to hear rape and serious sexual offence cases within the next two years.
The plans include private entrances and waiting rooms for victims, facilities to record evidence in advance, and fixed trial dates intended to reduce delays.
Ms Le Brocq pointed to these developments elsewhere as she urged Jersey to put sexual violence higher on its agenda.
“So, Jersey, what are we going to do to make sure our elected representatives recognise this as a priority?” she asked.
“And how do we ensure our systems and justice services change, improve and deliver better outcomes for survivors of these horrendous crimes?”
She added: “This is a societal problem, and one that we should not allow to go under the radar.”
In response, Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles said she was “disappointed to read the comments” from JAAR.
It is simply not accurate to suggest that tackling violence against women and girls is not a government priority
Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles
“It is simply not accurate to suggest that tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is not a government priority,” she said.
“Since this year’s election, we have launched the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership to strengthen coordination with community partners, including JAAR.
“We are also continuing to deliver recommendations from the VAWG Taskforce, while an independent review of domestic abuse case management in the Family Court is underway.
“This ensures victims-survivors’ voices are heard and acted upon, and builds on the legislative changes introduced earlier this year.
“There is substantial ongoing action across government to address VAWG, which will continue throughout this political term. I remain grateful to the agencies and partners supporting this work.”
