Recommendation 13

In light of the challenges deaf survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence told us they had experienced when engaging with the police, we would also urge the Home Office to undertake work with police forces across England and Wales to understand what provisions are currently in place to enable police officers to support deaf victims of crime as effectively as possible, and to ensure adequate provisions are made available where they are not yet on offer. It is important that forces operate emergency and non- emergency SMS text or Video Relay Services (VRS), so deaf people can communicate with the police when needed, especially in emergencies, and that the police always engage British Sign Language or BSL interpreters when BSL is the first or preferred language of a deaf person being supported by the police, or Lipspeakers for those who lipread as their primary means of communication. The police should also have regard to the particular requirements of those who do not have English or BSL as their first language, but who may use other spoken or signed languages. The Home Office must update us on this piece of work within the next 12 months.

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