Ministry tweet 'could scare off' rape victims

RAPE victims are at risk of being scared into silence by an “inaccurate and offensive” Ministry of Justice tweet about police “fishing expeditions”, the Met’s Deputy Commissioner warned today as she lashed out at officials

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Dame Lynne Owens said the tweet, which tells victims that “police will no longer be able to make invasive and unnecessary requests for victims’ personal records, such as therapy notes” would undermine public trust.

She said it was also guilty of “minimising the efforts” that police officers make to support victims and that although “change was needed” over the handling of personal data, the impact on confidence of exaggerating the problem could be “significant”.

She added: “As we strive to improve victim confidence, this actively undermines it.”

Dame Lynne’s attack came in a series of tweets posted today and follows the announcement by the Ministry of Justice of an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill going through Parliament to make clear that police should only request material from rape complainants that is necessary and proportionate.