It’s really powerful when you let politicians know that you care about their decisions on rape justice.
One way to do this is by emailing your local MP, because it’s their job to make your voice heard in Parliament even if you have different political views. They represent you and your local area, and they can bring your voice to Government by asking a Parliamentary Question or seeking a full debate (these must be attended by a Government minister, so it’s a great way to have real influence).
You can also write directly to the Ministry of Justice to let Robert Buckland, the Justice Secretary know that you are watching the Government’s responses to the rape justice crisis. This increases the pressure on Government to take action and ensures that survivors of sexual violence will not be ignored.
Writing to your MP
Find the name and email address of your MP by typing your postcode into the Parliamentary Directory. We know you’re busy, so we’ve provided a template email below. If you’d like to write your own, we recommend a maximum of 2 pages and make sure you have clear ‘asks’ so that the MP knows what actions you want them to take.
Dear [YOUR MP’S NAME],
My name is [YOUR NAME] and I’m writing as your constituent to ask that you support the introduction of free and independent legal advocacy for sexual offence complainants.
Specifically, I’m seeking the following help:
- Find out more about legal advocacy at lawyers4rapejustice.org
- I urge you to watch the video there and hear what victim-survivors had to say about our justice system
- Raise this issue in the House of Commons to increase awareness in Parliament
- Write to the Justice Secretary about the need for change and the benefits of legal advocacy
- Look out for the Government-sponsored Victims Law in Spring 2021. Support the inclusion of legal advocacy for sexual violence complainants / table an amendment for its inclusion.
[OPTIONAL PERSONAL EDIT: Tell your MP why this matters to you – E.g. ‘As a person who has experienced sexual violence, I… / As a person who works with survivors of sexual violence, I…]
Criminal justice responses to rape and sexual offences are failing victim-survivors, and have been for a long time. Reporting to the police is not the right option for everyone (and nor should it be expected), but those who want to report should be able to feel confident that the system is fair and won’t needlessly cause them additional harm.
A recent national survey of victim-survivors showed that this is not the case:
- Many victim-survivors regretted reporting to the police and said they would not do so again;
- Many others did not report at all because they have heard about others’ bad experiences;
- Only 12% of victim-survivors felt that police investigations are fair and proportionate;
- Only 1 in 5 (21%) feel the criminal justice system treats victims with dignity;
- Only 1 in 5 (21%) were satisfied with their criminal justice experience;
- Victim-survivors felt they were blamed by investigators for what happened to them;
- Engaging with the criminal justice system left victim-survivors with significant detrimental effects on their mental health and wellbeing – on top of the trauma of sexual violence.
Something needs to change. Maintaining the status quo is not acceptable.
Research by Dr Olivia Smith and Ellen Daly at Loughborough University shows that victim-survivors’ rights are routinely side-lined or ignored without proper consideration of what is fair, relevant, or proportionate in an investigation. Free and independent legal advocacy will help protect against this.
An evaluation of a recent pilot scheme in North East England, as well as research from other countries with similar (adversarial) legal systems, demonstrated that specialist legal advocacy for victim-survivors of sexual offences improved their experience of, and confidence in, the criminal justice system. As well as this, independent legal advice and advocacy improved police and CPS practice, meaning that complainants’ rights were better protected.
Legal advice and advocacy for complainants does not impact on the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
The Home Office estimated in 2018 that the annual cost of sexual offences to England and Wales is £12.2 billion. Providing free and independent legal advocacy to complainants would cost a fraction of this – an estimated £3.9 million – and would lead to savings elsewhere (e.g. health spending).
As my MP, I’m asking you to make a difference for victim-survivors and ensure your constituents can trust their criminal justice system.
I look forward to your reply,
[YOUR NAME]
Write to the Justice Secretary
Email Robert Buckland, Justice Secretary, at robert.buckland.mp@parliament.uk or fill in the online enquiry form at the Ministry of Justice.
We recommend using the template email below as a basis for your correspondence, but it’s great if you can tailor it and make it your own.
Dear Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP,
I’m contacting you in your capacity as Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, to ask that you introduce free and independent legal advocacy for sexual offence complainants.
I was pleased to see that extra funding for sexual and domestic violence services were made available during coronavirus. I am always grateful for your past commitments to ensure victims of crime receive adequate support.
Criminal justice responses to rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences are failing victim-survivors, and have been failing them for a long time. The system has lost the confidence of victim-survivors, is causing significant harm to those who decide to engage with it, and prosecution and conviction rates for rape are at an all-time low.
Something needs to change. Maintaining the status quo is not acceptable.
Reporting to the police is not the right option for everyone (and nor should it be expected), but those who want to report should be able to feel confident that the system is fair and won’t needlessly cause them additional harm. A recent national survey of victim-survivors showed that this is not the case:
- Many victim-survivors regretted reporting to the police and said they would not do so again;
- Many others did not report at all because they have heard about others’ bad experiences;
- Only 12% of victim-survivors felt that police investigations are fair and proportionate;
- Only 1 in 5 (21%) feel the criminal justice system treats victims with dignity;
- Only 1 in 5 (21%) were satisfied with their criminal justice experience;
- Victim-survivors felt they were blamed by investigators for what happened to them;
- Engaging with the criminal justice system left victim-survivors with significant, long-term detrimental effects on their mental health and wellbeing – on top of the trauma of sexual violence.
Research by Dr Olivia Smith and Ellen Daly at Loughborough University shows that victim-survivors’ rights are routinely side-lined or ignored without proper consideration of what is fair, relevant, or proportionate in an investigation. Free and independent legal advocacy will help protect against this.
An evaluation of a recent pilot scheme in North East England, as well as research from other countries with similar (adversarial) legal systems, demonstrated that specialist legal advocacy for victim-survivors of sexual offences improved their experience of, and confidence in, the criminal justice system. As well as this, independent legal advice and advocacy improved police and CPS practice, meaning that complainants’ rights were better protected.
The Home Office estimated in 2018 that the annual cost of sexual offences to England and Wales is £12.2 billion. Providing free and independent legal advocacy to complainants would cost a fraction of this – an estimated £3.9 million – and would lead to savings elsewhere (e.g. health spending).
Legal advice and advocacy for complainants does not impact on the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
There is a lot of research on this topic and further information about this, including what legal advocacy would look like, is available on the following website: lawyers4rapejustice.org. I urge you to watch the video there and hear what victim-survivors had to say about our ‘justice’ system.
[Optional personal edit: As a person who has experienced sexual violence (or works with people who have) I … add personal viewpoint].
I’m asking you to make a difference for victim-survivors and ensure your constituents can trust their criminal justice system.
I am aware that there is a proposed Victims Law due in Spring 2021. I implore you to include free and independent legal representation for sexual offence complainants into this draft Bill.
Yours Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Lawyers for Rape Justice 