Justice required from bill: Support victims

The Victims of Crime Bill, which is going through the Dáil this week, is not before time but the section on restorative justice needs to be strengthened to ensure that victims of traumatic violence like sex crimes are not forced to meet with their attacker.

It also lacks a comprehensive victims support system and gives individual gardaí discretion as to whether a victim is referred to such support services as currently exist.

The Victims’ Rights Alliance has highlighted shortcomings in the draft legislation which it says need to resolved to ensure the bill’s compliance with the EU Victims’ Directive.

In particular, it is concerned at the lack of safeguards under the Restorative Justice Programme and warns that a victim of crime may be unwittingly re-traumatised in court.

An example of that occurred in a 2014 case where a judge asked a victim of sexual assault to consider meeting her abuser under the programme before he passed sentence.

The last thing we need is a well-meaning bill that does almost as much harm as good.