Close Menu
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
  • News
    • Angus South
    • Holyrood
    • Westminster
    • Education
  • About
    • Graeme Dey MSP
    • GDPR
      • Privacy Policy
      • Child Data Protection
      • Cookies
  • Surgeries
  • Issues
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Law & Order
    • Social Security
    • Transport
    • Devolved and Reserved Powers
  • Gallery
    • 2021 –
      • 2024
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
    • 2016 – 2020
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
    • 2011 – 2015
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
  • Videos
    • Members’ Business
    • Questions
      • First Minister’s Questions
      • General Questions
      • Portfolio Questions
      • Topical Questions
  • Contact
    • Contact Graeme
    • Generic Consent Form
    • NHS Consent Form
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
Sunday, July 13
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
  • News
    1. Angus South
    2. Holyrood
    3. Westminster
    4. Education
    5. View All

    Graeme Hails Broadband Progress

    11th July 2025

    Graeme’s Column

    10th July 2025

    Expanding Access to Childcare

    13th June 2025

    Welcoming the funding boost for Appetite for Angus, led by Angus Farmers Market

    9th June 2025

    Further Support for Victims of Crime

    11th July 2025

    New Expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Tayside Area

    11th July 2025

    One year of Keir shows only the SNP will stand up for Scotland

    7th July 2025

    SNP investment to bring empty houses back into use in angus

    4th July 2025

    One year of Keir shows only the SNP will stand up for Scotland

    7th July 2025

    Spending Review presents challenges

    12th June 2025

    Call for National Mission on Living Standards

    23rd May 2025

    Labour immigration policy threatens Scotland’s NHS

    13th May 2025

    Corseford College Future Secured Until 2027

    7th July 2025

    Education reforms agreed by Parliament

    26th June 2025

    Direct Support for Dundee University

    24th June 2025

    Scottish Languages Bill Passed

    18th June 2025

    Graeme Hails Broadband Progress

    11th July 2025

    Further Support for Victims of Crime

    11th July 2025

    New Expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Tayside Area

    11th July 2025

    Graeme’s Column

    10th July 2025
  • About
    • Graeme Dey MSP
    • GDPR
      • Privacy Policy
      • Child Data Protection
      • Cookies
  • Surgeries
  • Issues
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Law & Order
    • Social Security
    • Transport
    • Devolved and Reserved Powers
  • Gallery
    • 2021 –
      • 2024
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
    • 2016 – 2020
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
    • 2011 – 2015
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
  • Videos
    • Members’ Business
    • Questions
      • First Minister’s Questions
      • General Questions
      • Portfolio Questions
      • Topical Questions
  • Contact
    • Contact Graeme
    • Generic Consent Form
    • NHS Consent Form
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
You are at:Home»Holyrood»Putting Victims and Witnesses at the Heart of the Justice System

Putting Victims and Witnesses at the Heart of the Justice System

LucieBy Lucie26th April 202315 Views4 Mins Read Holyrood
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp

Legislative reforms introduced to Parliament.

Legislation proposing a significant package of reform to ensure victims are treated with compassion and their voices heard across the justice system has been published.

The Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill will require justice agencies to make efforts to reduce re-traumatisation of victims and witnesses and will address long-standing challenges in the justice system’s approach to serious sexual offences.

Significant reforms proposed in the Bill include abolishing the not proven verdict in all criminal trials to help create a clearer, fairer and more transparent decision-making process. It will reduce juror numbers from 15 to 12 and increase the jury majority required for conviction to at least two-thirds – to ensure fairness, balance and promote confidence that verdicts are decided on a sound and rational basis.

If passed by Parliament, the Bill would also establish an independent Victims and Witnesses Commissioner for Scotland to champion the rights of victims and witnesses and encourage government and criminal justice agencies to put those rights at the heart of the justice system.

The Bill also includes significant new measures to meet the needs of survivors of sexual offences, building on the recommendations of Lady Dorrian’s Review Group on improving the management of sexual offence cases, enabling public confidence in the justice system by:

  • protecting the dignity of victims through an automatic lifelong right of anonymity for victims of sexual offences
  • establishing a specialist sexual offences court with national jurisdiction to enable complainers to give their best evidence while minimising the potential for re-traumatisation
  • providing an automatic right to state-funded independent legal representation for complainers when applications are made to lead evidence of their sexual history or ‘bad character’ in sexual offence cases
  • enabling a pilot of single judge trials for cases of rape and attempted rape to take place to gather evidence on their effectiveness

This Bill will put victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice system. It is testament to the efforts of many campaigners who have worked to ensure that the processes of justice better serve victims, witnesses and vulnerable parties.

This landmark legislation is among the most significant since devolution and will ensure fairness is cemented into the bedrock of Scotland’s modern-day justice system. Building on the experiences of survivors, victims, and their families, these key reforms will make justice services more sensitive to the trauma it can cause.


This government has been clear we must take action to improve the experience of those who suffer sexual abuse. The majority are women, who must be supported to have trust and confidence that the processes of justice will serve their needs, allow them to give their best evidence and support them in their recovery.


By creating an independent Commissioner for Scotland to champion the rights of victims and witnesses we can ensure that they are treated with compassion and their voices are heard.

CABINET SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS, ANGELA CONSTANCE

Background

The Bill builds on recommendations set out in Lady Dorrian’s Review Group (on improving the management of sexual offences)

The Bill takes forward the work of the Victims’ Taskforce (which was established in 2018 by Mr Yousaf in his role as Cabinet Secretary for Justice) to develop a victim centred, trauma informed approach to justice in Scotland.

It also reflects work and investment in justice and safer communities over recent years to support victims more broadly (including specific funding to tackle violence against women and girls, the establishment of the victim surcharge fund, and funding for victim support organisations through the victim-centred approach fund).

Read the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill and proposals in full

Bill justice Justice System Lady Dorrian Review Group Reforms Survivors Trauma Victims Witnesses
Previous ArticleHighlighting MS Awareness Week with Angus MS Society
Next Article Delivering thriving local communities
Lucie

I am working as a Constituency Assistant for Graeme. I joined the team after doing a master's degree at the University of Glasgow.

Related Posts

Further Support for Victims of Crime

11th July 2025

New Expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Tayside Area

11th July 2025

Graeme’s Column

10th July 2025
latest news

Graeme Hails Broadband Progress

Further Support for Victims of Crime

New Expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Tayside Area

Graeme’s Column

About
About

Graeme Dey is the the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Angus South Constituency.

Having worked for The Courier newspaper for 26 years, Graeme was elected to Holyrood in 2011.

In March 2023, Graeme was chosen by First Minister Humza Yousaf to be Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans.

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
Latest Posts

Graeme Hails Broadband Progress

Further Support for Victims of Crime

New Expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Tayside Area

Graeme’s Column

Flickr Photos
Transport Police
RM Condor Parliament 2
D&A College (Apprenticeship Week) 6
Deaf Hub 3
DofE3
Humza and Graeme close up pro
Humza Graeme Sign
Independence Convention
July7 Surgery 2]
CWA Parl 3
20230712_104835
20230712_110433
Banking Hub 1
SSERC
Ayrshire College
Poverty Alliance
© 2025 Graeme Dey MSP. No parliamentary funds have been used to create and maintain this website. Promoted by G. Dey, 282 High St, DD11 1JF.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.