A package of measures designed to reform the way in which child sexual abuse is handled within the Criminal Justice System is being outlined later today.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, is helping draw up new guidelines to help convince victims they will be taken seriously. As part of the changes a special panel is being set up to review historic sex abuse allegations, where decisions were made not to prosecute. In a speech later to charities, campaigners and government officials Mr Starmer will set out proposals aimed at rebalancing the way in which alleged victims of abuse are dealt with.
Mr Starmer said:
"Police and prosecutors have significantly improved the way we investigate and prosecute sexual offences in recent years, particularly those involving children.
"The results have been encouraging with more cases being brought to court, higher conviction rates and more defendants pleading guilty.
"Yet, despite all this, events over the last 12 months raise fundamental questions about our approach to these cases.
"We are clear that the yardsticks for testing the credibility and reliability of victims in sexual abuse cases do not serve the police or prosecutors well and risk leaving an identifiable group of vulnerable victims unprotected by the criminal law."
Pete Saunders from the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, one of many organisations helping the 7,000 potential sex abuse victims a year, told Premier's Des Busteed on the News Hour that it's a watershed moment:
The Jimmy Savile abuse scandal is being cited as an example of the level of isolation many victims feel.
Few came forward at the time and those who did said their claims were dismissed by the authorities. The measures being announced, which are a response to the Savile affair and other scandals such as the grooming and abuse of young girls by a gang of men in Rochdale, are aimed at helping to reassure victims their claims will be taken seriously. Simon Bass from the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service told Premier's Des Busteed why he's welcoming the changes:
Police and prosecutors say they're determined not to see another Savile type scandal in the years ahead. The draft guidelines are expected to be ready in May for a three-month public consultation.