Government should sign up to European rights for victims
Published: 19 May 2011
- Date:
- 19 May 2011
Victim Support is urging the UK government to take the lead in signing up to a new EU directive that will enshrine the rights of crime victims in law across the European Union.
Support for victims of crime has varied considerably across the European Union and the directive will put in place common standards of support and equal rights for victims of crime across member countries. This will benefit Britons both at home and abroad.
Commenting, Javed Khan, Chief Executive of Victim Support, said: “The UK has some of the best support services for victims of crime in the world and should continue to take the lead by signing up to this directive. But there is still room for improvement.
“Across the European Union the rights of crime victims and the support they receive has been far too patchy for too long. Often British people who go on holiday to Europe don’t get the same help they would if they were a victim of crime in the UK.
“This new directive will strengthen the rights of victims and their voice in criminal proceedings across Europe. It will also give victims across the EU access to vital support and help where they may not have been any in the past.
“We look forward to working with Victim Support Europe and partner organisations across the EU to ensure the implementation of the directive meets the needs of victims of crime.”
Victim Support has written to Ministry of Justice ministers and Baroness Ashton urging them to support the new directive.