Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 125
Extend Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme pilot to diverse demographic and geographic areas.
Recommendation
The Government should further pilot the Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme, first offered in Northumbria. This pilot should be extended to areas with differing demographic and geographic profiles. This would empower and support complainants to understand better and deal with requests to access third-party material or data from digital devices. We agree with the Criminal Bar Association that the role of any legal advisor would need to be defined in detail in a Code of Practice.
Government Response Summary
The government stated it will continue working with partners to understand and identify improvements in sexual violence and abuse services, including considering strengthening counselling and therapy provision, but did not commit to further piloting the Sexual Violence Complainants’ Advocate Scheme.
Paragraph Reference:
125
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We will continue to work with our partners to understand the provision of specialist sexual violence and abuse services and identify where improvements need to be made. This will include joint working with the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care to consider where counselling and therapy provision needs to be strengthened.