Conference a ‘valuable opportunity’ to engage with victims of sexual crimes, says force
Understanding and learning from the trauma of victims of rape and serious sexual abuse will be the focus of Devon and Cornwall Police’s first ‘Lived Experience’ conference.
As part of national Victim Focus week, survivors and family members of those subjected to such crimes will be invited to share their experiences of the criminal justice system at a daylong conference in Exeter.
Victims will give first-hand accounts of the impact crime has had on their lives, how they were supported and where services could be improved.
Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable James Vaughan said it will be a “valuable opportunity” for officers to learn how they should be engaging with victims when they are at their most vulnerable.
Mr Vaughan will meet survivors as well as talk about how lived experience is at the core of victim contact and shaping how police and other criminal justice agencies manage investigations.
The conference will also hear how the experiences of survivors are being directly integrated into police training to ensure better understanding of a victim’s journey and improving the service a victim receives from first point of contact through the criminal justice process.
Mr Vaughan said: “This is an incredibly valuable opportunity to meet survivors, understand their experiences and use that insight to direct how we should be engaging with victims at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.
“There is no better way for our officers and staff to learn than to hear experiences directly from those affected by what are often the most serious of crimes.
“A victim’s feelings and wishes should be at the heart of all police investigations, but we know we can improve on how we engage and manage a victim through what can often be complex criminal justice system.”
Speakers at this week’s event will include victims of domestic abuse, stalking, rape and serious sexual offences.
It will include input from Lisa Squire whose 21-year-old daughter Libby was raped and murdered following a campaign of non-contact sexual offending by Pawel Relowicz in 2019.
She has already been working with Devon and Cornwall Police on the ‘It Does Matter’ non-contact sexual offences campaign and will be providing input to police officer training on the issue.
There will also be speakers on independent domestic violence advocates and the importance of giving support to victims of domestic abuse when a perpetrator is being prosecuted.