Dear Dame Vera,
Following the incredible and (almost entirely) positive coverage earlier this week about survivors being forced to hand over their phones and excessive information to the police, we’ve started a petition alongside the campaigning organisation 38 degrees, directed at the CPS and NPCC. Its already hit 10,000 signatures overnight!
The petition is here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-forcing-sexual-assault-survivors-to-hand-in-their-phones-in-investigations
Regards,
Griff Ferris
OUR CALL FOR CHANGE
At a time when more women and men than ever are pursuing justice against sex offenders, the justice system is letting them down.
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Victims’ consent to access their personal records should be freely given, specific and limited to the information relevant to the crime – not blanket. Victims of crime should never have to sign away their privacy rights in the pursuit of justice.
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The police’s digital evidence technology should be brought up to date so police can collect targeted pieces of evidence from smart phones, rather than entire digital copies.
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Police should not be using artificial intelligence to conduct fishing expeditions through victims’ phones.
The following organisations and individuals have joined this call:
Big Brother Watch
Centre for Women’s Justice
End Violence Against Women
Liberty
Jess Phillips MP
Caroline Lucas MP
Vera Baird (Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Victims Lead, Police and Crime Commissioner)