Investment into Crown Court 'isn't enough', says domestic violence survivors
The Deputy Prime Minister announced that the government will fund an extra 1,250 days to tackle a Crown Court backlog
Rachel Williams, from South Wales, has been campaigning for domestic abuse survivors since 2011.
She says the extra funding into tackling the court system backlog doesn't go far enough.
The Deputy Prime Minister announced that the government will fund an extra 1,250 days to tackle a Crown Court backlog of more than 76,957 cases.
Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy, said:
"The Crown Court backlog we inherited stands at over 78,000 and behind each case is a real person, waiting years for justice.
"That is why we are acting with the biggest investment on record as part of our Plan for Change.
An additional 1,250 sitting days will be allocated to the Crown Court
"An additional 1,250 sitting days will be allocated to the Crown Court this financial year, allowing it to hear many extra cases.
"We know there is more to do, and generational reform that cannot wait, but this investment will help ease the torment and bring swifter justice to many more victims."
In response to the funding announcement, Rachel said:
"They tell us what we they think we want to hear, and then all of a sudden, you know, it doesn't materialise.
"Because what we've seen over the years is the lip service."
Rachel believes there needs to be a complete reset of the Criminal Justice System by setting up a specific domestic abuse 24 court system.
"Seeing what's going on and speaking to victims and survivors and other people who work in the sector, it's very blatantly obvious that we have gone backwards in the domestic abuse arena, especially when it comes to the criminal justice system.
"I absolutely massively think that it would help if we had specialist domestic abuse courts where everybody working within that system is fully trained" .
Police reports (the National Police Chiefs Council - July 2024) shows 3,000 crimes of violence against women and girls are recorded each day- meaning at least 1 in 12 women are becoming victims each year.
At least 1 in 12 women are becoming victims each year:
Rachel continues, explaining it's not just the backlog that's affecting victims, rather the whole justice system.
"Everybody that deals with abuse is at fault, you know, from the moment somebody discloses, that journey starts.
"We talk about how there's no money out there.
"But prevention is better than a cure and we need to start looking at other ways to deal with perpetrators.
"And sadly, we don't hold them accountable for their violent abhorrent action."
We've asked the Ministry of Justice to respond to the comments made by Rachel Williams.