Protecting through partnership to improve outcomes for victims of abuse

We have already seen how mobile applications for victims can provide immediate access to resources, support networks, and reporting mechanisms. They can also offer safety features, like location tracking or emergency contact alerts.

Mobile applications for police also offer dual benefits for victims. For example, the WEPROTECT app reduces the time it takes for police officers to make a referral to civil legal support. This means that victims can be connected with a local solicitor’s firm within a matter of hours. Previously this referral process could have taken two weeks or more, by the time a referral was made to a specialist support service and local legal support put in place.

We recently expedited an application for an emergency protection order due to additional safeguarding concerns, which the victim disclosed to our casework team. We supported the victim to complete their application, and the case was issued at the Family Court. An emergency hearing was granted on the same day. The victim said: “Before you I felt very anxious. I was worried – I didn't know where to turn…without you I'd still feel on edge. What you do is amazing - I feel on edge still but a lot more at ease. You’re [Jo – one of our legal advisors] is a credit to your team - rare to come by nowadays."

Supporting survivors

Civil legal protection is not intended as an alternative to a criminal justice outcome. However, given the current delays survivors face in criminal proceedings, coupled with low conviction rates across all cases of abuse, securing civil legal protection can help a survivor feel safe again and begin the process of recovering from their trauma.

+72% of victims (for whom the DA Alliance had helped secure a court order) were no longer

+74% of victims were satisfied with the service provided by their appointed solicitor.

Independent Evaluation

Our internal service assessment and client feedback mechanisms have shown that civil legal protection can help victims to escape abuse.

These findings are now being verified by a research team at the University of Birmingham, who has been awarded Home Office “What Works to Prevent VAWG” grant funding to complete an independent evaluation of WEPROTECT, which began in October 2022.

This evaluation is assessing the impact of WEPROTECT on reducing revictimisation and the mental health burden on survivors. It will also include an economic analysis of the cost to provide the service against the estimated £78 billion that the Home Office estimates domestic abuse costs the UK economy.

Three UK police forces are trialling WEPROTECT as part of the evaluation and the research findings will be shared with key national stakeholders in Spring 2025.

Overcoming the barriers to securing civil legal protection

A tendency to focus on immediate threats can lead police and the courts to prioritise immediate safety concerns over longer-term civil protections, which can lead to victims feeling unsupported in their pursuit of civil remedies. While police are trained in criminal law and enforcement, they may have limited understanding of civil legal protections, and the processes involved in applying for them. Many police forces operate under tight budgets, which can limit the time and resources available to assist victims with civil legal matters.

In 2019, The Centre for Women’s Justice made a super complaint to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), raising concerns about the police use of protective measures in cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG). HMICFRS collaborated with the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on the subsequent investigation and conclusions, and their report was published in 2021 (and updated in 2022).

One of their recommendations was that Chief Constables should ensure officers are aware of referral pathways to third-party support organisations which are available to protect vulnerable domestic abuse victims.

The investigation also found that police officers sometimes have problems accessing NMOs to check the provisions of the orders, including the power of arrest, to enable them to assess whether an order had been breached. Some officers reported that accessing NMOs was time-consuming. On some occasions officers could not find information on the NMO – possibly due in part to delays between the NMO being issued at court to it being recorded on the database.

Our WEPROCESS multiagency coordination service is helping police forces to improve compliance in processing NMOs by reducing the time it takes for court orders to be uploaded to the PNC. Copies of court orders and statements of service are automatically uploaded to the secure, online WEPROTECT portal once they are granted. These documents are also sent electronically to the PNC team of the police forces that use WEPROTECT.

Research by the charity Victim Support has highlighted gaps in language support for victims of crime who speak English as a second language. This can present a barrier to communicating essential information to the police or in court.

To help address these gaps and ensure all victims of domestic abuse have access to language support, we provide access to interpretation and translation capabilities in over 200 spoken languages, either remotely or face-to-face, via WeTranslate.

Addressing these challenges must involve improving training on domestic abuse and civil legal remedies, enhancing multiagency collaboration, and providing resources to support victims more effectively. Leveraging technologies can improve operational efficiency and crucially provide more effective support for victims, which will lead to safer communities.

Justice and Emergency Services Programme activities

The techUK Justice and Emergency Services Programme represents tech firms operating in the public safety, criminal justice, and blue light markets. We create strong relationships between members and public sector customers, encouraging industry engagement, and unlocking innovation. Visit the programme page here.