26/04/2024
Want to do something tangible to prevent and remedy violence against women? Get behind the campaign Make Police Investigate. You can sign a petition. Donate to the campaign and Independent lawyers for victim/survivors.
The campaign calls for police accountability to victim/survivors of r**e, sexual violence and violence against women. Police are the missing link - when they aren't enforcing the law, when they victim-blame, minimise and dismiss women's reports, they undermine confidence in the justice system and access to justice.
The campaign calls for:
1. Legally enforceable Duty of Care for victim/survivors - currently there is no Duty of Care and we need it to make sure that Police don't re-traumatise victim/survivors. This goes beyond anti victim-blaming training and creates a Duty of Care.
2. Legally mandated minimum standards of investigation - currently police have discretion what, if at all, to investigate and how. This means that bias (such as racism, homophobia, victim-blaming) negatively impacts police (in)action. We want access to justice to be evenly applied, police responses to ALL victim/survivors should be predictable and without bias.
3. Independent and transparent police accountability mechanisms - no more police investigating police. When police don't exercise a duty of care and harm/retraumatise victim/survivors, or refuse to investigate, they must be held accountable.
I've been speaking publicly about my own experience, and that of my clients, for 18 months now. Created this campaign in consultation with other lawyers. It is sensible and actionable - it needs your support. Please get behind this today.
DM me to get involved this week. DM me to sign your organisation up as a supporter.
Join Karen Iles in demanding action from our politicians and creating legally enforceable minimum standards for police investigation of serious crimes.
