Victims’ Rights Struggle in 2026: A Call for Justice Reform
In the year 2026, victims find themselves in a paradoxical situation where their rights are more acknowledged than ever before, yet the path to seeking justice has become increasingly arduous.
Having endured two decades of relentless stalking, I have personally experienced the frustration of being let down by a system designed to provide protection. This ordeal has significantly influenced my personal and professional trajectory.
Driven by the desire to amplify the voices of victims, I have dedicated years to advocating for their rights, leading to significant milestones such as the enactment of the Victims and Prisoners Act. These hard-fought achievements have finally enshrined the rights of victims in legal frameworks.
However, transitioning into my new role as the Victims’ Commissioner has made me acutely aware that mere legal provisions are insufficient. While laws may guarantee access to justice and support, the true delivery of these promises lies in the functionality of the court system.
The common expectation for individuals facing crime is simple: report the incident and expect a prompt, fair, and supportive process. Yet, the stark reality of 2026 paints a different picture. Being a victim today entails entering a seemingly endless waiting period upon reporting a crime – a limbo that exacerbates anxiety and trauma.
Despite assuming that as the victim, you are the central figure in the case, the overwhelming demand on the system often relegates you to a passive role in your own proceedings. Months pass without updates, leaving victims in a state of perpetual uncertainty. While support services strive valiantly to aid victims, they cannot substitute the absence of a court date.
I have witnessed victims confronted with trial dates as distant as 2030. The prolonged wait not only intensifies their anguish but also perpetuates a cycle of uncertainty, postponed hearings, and an inability to heal from their trauma due to the protracted legal process.
With the proposed Sentencing Bill aiming to further reduce jail terms, victims enduring years of anticipation for their day in court are left questioning if they, in fact, are serving a sentence rather than the perpetrators.
The consequence is tragically predictable. Overwhelmed by the interminable wait, many victims opt to withdraw as the toll – years of stagnation – becomes too burdensome to bear.
As the Victims’ Commissioner, I had forewarned of the repercussions of underfunding and neglect on the system, and now we are witnessing the aftermath. The backlog of cases has soared to nearly 80,000 – a figure double that of pre-pandemic times, equating to 80,000 individuals in legal limbo.
Numerous cases from the previous decade still await resolution, with individuals transitioning from childhood to adulthood while awaiting their day in court. Without prompt intervention, projections suggest that the backlog could escalate to 125,000 cases by the end of this Parliament – an egregious neglect of responsibility.
The urgency of the situation necessitates a departure from the conventional approach. Sir Brian Leveson’s evaluation of the court system has underscored the urgent need for comprehensive reforms rather than superficial adjustments. Merely increasing funding and hoping for improvement is no longer a viable solution; the system requires more than temporary fixes.
In response to these challenges, the government has proposed radical measures, including the consideration of judge-only trials to circumvent the existing gridlock. While these propositions challenge traditional norms and will provoke heated debates, it is imperative to acknowledge the fundamental reality: a justice system that compels a rape survivor to endure a five-year wait for resolution is fundamentally flawed.
The current state of affairs is unsustainable, and with each passing day of inaction, the queue of unresolved cases grows, compelling more victims to abandon their pursuit of justice and granting offenders impunity. It is imperative that we confront this crisis head-on.
In the forthcoming months, amidst discussions on legal precedents and procedural intricacies, my primary focus will be to ensure that the voices of victims remain central in critical deliberations regarding tradition and process.
Every proposal will undergo rigorous scrutiny through the lens of its efficacy in swiftly and effectively delivering justice to those affected by crime. The human toll of this crisis cannot be overlooked – a system that breaks the victim on the path to the courtroom is a system that has failed.
It is imperative that we cease demanding the impossible from victims and instead focus on establishing a system they can trust – one that operates seamlessly in practice, not just in theory.