PCC Blog: Standing Up for Victims in a Time of Change

Yesterday I joined colleagues from across the country at the National Victim Innovation Network. It’s a forum where police representatives and Police and Crime commissioners come together to share challenges, ideas and innovation to improve the journey victims face through the criminal justice system. As one of the APCC’s national Victims Leads, and as Avon and Somerset’s Police and Crime Commissioner, it is a space where the local and national picture meet.

There is no doubt that we are in a period of significant change. Last week’s announcement on the future of Police and Crime Commissioners, the forthcoming Policing White Paper, and the long-awaited national strategy on violence against women and girls all point to a complex landscape ahead. My priority is making sure victims do not get lost in that complexity.

Here in Avon and Somerset, I chair our Local Criminal Justice Board, and that role keeps me focused on the whole system – not just policing. A victim’s experience is shaped by every part of that system, and it only works when each part works together.

One of the biggest challenges we discussed is funding. Last year’s reduction in victims funding, along with the uncertainty that comes with year-on-year settlements, creates real strain. Providers need stability to plan, recruit and retain skilled staff, and deliver sustainable support. At the same time, the needs of those coming forward are becoming more complex, adding further pressure to already stretched services.

Despite these challenges, Avon and Somerset has a strong commitment to collaboration. Commissioners and providers work closely to make sure victims and survivors receive the support they need. Partnerships such as the Sexual Violence Alliance and the Adult Victims Service Partnership show how working together delivers better outcomes. Our longer-term commissioning approach, offering seven-year core contracts, gives organisations the confidence to innovate and respond to changing demand.

I am proud of the culture we are building locally: one that encourages doing things differently when it improves support for victims. Our “waiting well” provision is a good example of how providers have adapted to meet local need, ensuring people are not left without help while they are waiting on criminal justice processes.

I also spoke about Project Bright Light, our local work to embed a victim-centred approach to domestic abuse. It draws on the learning from Avon and Somerset’s pioneering Bluestone model, which has transformed the national approach to rape and serious sexual offences. This is innovation driven by evidence, and most importantly, by what victims tell us they need.

Throughout all this change, my focus remains clear. Victims deserve consistent, compassionate and effective support. I will continue to work locally and nationally to ensure their voices, and their needs, stay at the centre of everything we do.