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<p>My Department worked very closely with criminal justice organisations and other
stakeholders before publishing “<em>Our Commitment to Victims” </em>on 15 September
2014.</p><p> </p><p>My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and I have
listened to the views of the Victims’ Panel, which we set up so that those who have
been affected by crime can tell us directly how the criminal justice system could
better serve victims. We have also worked closely with the Victims’ Commissioner since
her appointment.</p><p> </p><p>My Department also developed “<em>Our Commitment to
Victims”</em> in close cooperation with other Government Departments, the Crown Prosecution
Service, the police, and the criminal justice inspectorates.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Key
stakeholders including the Bar Council and the Law Society, and representatives of
Victim Support’s Witness Service contributed to my Department’s report, ‘<em>Review
of ways to reduce distress of victims in trials of sexual violence</em>’, published
on 31 March 2014, which formed the requirement for publicly funded advocates to undertake
approved specialist training on working with vulnerable victims and witnesses announced
in “<em>Our Commitment to Victims</em>”.</p><p>In our response to the “<em>Getting
it right for Victims’ and Witnesses</em>” public consultation, published in 2012,
we said we would look at the options for a Victims’ Law but that reform must begin
with a more effective Victims’ Code. In “<em>Our Commitment to Victims</em>” we have
committed to introduce a Victims’ Law.</p>
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