Victims and Justice
Shaping and supporting the sector’s work on victims, witnesses, offenders and the justice system.
Our priority is that the VCFSE sector is a key part of building a system and influencing decisions to ensure that victims and witnesses receive the best treatment; while work with offenders is focused on justice, rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism.
This workstream is designed to ensure that the VCFSE is appropriately represented within the structures related to victims, witnesses and offenders. Representation is key to system change within the judicial sphere.
Leading the challenge to gender-based violence (GBV) in Greater Manchester and delivering the GBV strategy is a key priority of this workstream. Our approach to this work is designed to ensure that violence against women and girls is not lost within the GBV language.
These are the main objectives of this work
- Ensure VCFSE representation on all key GM ‘justice’ boards
- Thread GBV strategy through all VCFSE workstreams and be the ‘watchdog’ for its application
- Create a closer working relationship between VCFSE and Greater Manchester Police to tackle GBV and deliver on the crime and police plan
- Increase opportunities for the VCFSE to be included in training and delivery
- Design and create a whole-system approach to knowledge dissemination within the VCFSE related to the new requirements of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, including Victims Rights
- Annual VCFSE Victim Response Conference, including research
- Publish an annual report on VCFSE response to victim support
Organisations involved
News, events and opportunities
Useful resources
Key contacts
This work is being led by VSNW on behalf of the Leadership Group but cuts across all working groups and accord delivery.
Request VCFSE participation
For Statutory agency or other partner requesting VCFSE participation
The role of the statutory agency or other partner requesting participation.
- Use GM VCFSE Leadership Group as the first point of contact to set up VCFSE sector participation on a board/group
- Recognise the independence of GM VCFSE Leadership Group in selecting participants in whom members of the VCSE sector have trust and confidence. In certain cases, the board/ group will work alongside GM VCFSE Leadership Group to ensure that the appropriate participant is selected
- Provide the information requested in the below form (as far as possible) when making a request for VCFSE sector participation to the GM VCFSE Leadership Group
- Offer an induction for the participant and identify key documents the participant should be familiar with prior to starting to attend meetings
- Recognise the different issues associated with consulting and representing a ‘sector’ as opposed to a single agency and take these into account in terms of the expectations of the VCSE sector’s role (This may mean ensuring the participant has time to undertake consultation: the participant cannot offer guarantees or any such undertakings without consultation)
- Be clear about any requirements for confidentiality
- If possible, aim to financially support representation of VCFSE sector through offering an annual bursary
- Work with GM VCFSE Leadership Group to identify capacity building issues and way in which these can be supported
Dispute resolution
If there are concerns about anyone participating on behalf of the VCFSE sector, or if the participant has concerns about their role in the Board/Group, the situation will be dealt with informally in the first instance through discussions with the GM VCFSE Leadership Group and the group/board’s chair.
Please enter the below details if you are looking to request VCFSE participation on your board or group. We will get back to you:
