Public Awareness of Victims' Rights (MT0019)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Malta Action Plan 2023-2025 (December)
Action Plan Cycle: 2023
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: Victims Support Agency – Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality
Support Institution(s): Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality, Victims Support Agency, Justice Department, Court Services Agency, Legal Aid Agency, Repubblika, Victim Support Malta, SOS Malta, Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation
Policy Areas
Access to Justice, Capacity Building, JusticeIRM Review
IRM Report: Malta Action Plan Review 2023-2025
Early Results: Pending IRM Review
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): Low
Implementation i
Completion: Pending IRM Review
Description
Our Commitment
Article 4 (a) of the Victims Rights Directive states that: ‘(a) the type of support they can obtain and from whom, including, where relevant, basic information about access to medical support, any specialist support, including psychological support and alternative accommodation’. In line with the Victims Right Directive, our commitment is to provide concerted efforts from all stakeholders to raise public awareness, streamline information, facilitate access to services and ensure that victims are informed about their rights and the available support services. In order to carry out this commitment it is being proposed to promote an information and educational campain on victims rights and support services with the collaboration of civil society organisation and to develop a concentrated online information tool that facilitates access to information.
Problem Definition
What problem does the commitment aim to address?
Developing a victim-centred approach at all levels has played an important role in the creation of a European area of freedom, security, and justice. The amendments within the revised Victims’ Rights Directive identify five main victims’ rights: access to information, improved support and protection, improved participation in criminal proceedings and facilitated access to compensation. The impact of a crime on the quality of life of a person is devastating unless treated carefully. Facilitating access to information for a person to reach out and seek support is crucial for regaining a better lifestyle. Victims do not always report the crime and hence these victims are deprived to access for information, including information regarding support and protection. The objective of this commitment is to reach out to all victims of crime in order to help them out to seek support and report the crime.
What are the causes of the problem?
The devastating effects that crime leaves on victims tends to make victims of a crime feel abandoned due to their traumatic experience. A lot of questions comes to mind and support can only be sought if the victim is aware that it exists. Some victims do not always have the financial means to support their cause either because they may be dependent on the perpetrators per se, or have been rendered pennyless by the crime itself. Other victims may also take a step back for lacking knowledge on their rights and the support available. Victims require a voice, information and guidance, legal advice and emotional support. Providing the right information and support tools is key for victims of crime to overcome their ordeal. However, there is a situation where victims often lacks support and the proper information that would be needed to overcome their ordeal. Media coverage more often focuses on the perpetrators of crime rather than the experiences and rights of the victims. Limited media attention to victims’ rights is contributing to a lack of public education and information. To address these challenges, concerted efforts are needed from all stakeholders to raise public awareness, streamline information, facilitate access to services and ensure that victims are informed about their rights and the available support services.
Commitment Description
What has been done so far to solve the problem?
Following the adoption of the Victim of Crime Act in 2015, a specialized unit was established by the Malta Police Force to support Victims of Crime. Further on in 2020, a dedicated agency was established to act as a national contact point for Victims of Crime whilst providing for information, emotional support and legal advice. The same Agency collaborates with various public entities such as Malta Police Force, Court Services, Legal Aid Agency and the Department of Justice and other non-governmental organisations such as SoS Malta and Victim Support Malta to ensure a holistic approach in the delivery of support. A national victim support line was also established 116 006 free of charge and attended by trained professionals. The justice sector through the Legal Aid Agency provides legal aid assistance to victims.
Our solution
Victims of crime must be treated with dignity and respect. This means that it is very important for victims to be provided with the correct information and the necessary support. Our solution is to educate and raise public awareness on the Information and Services provided. In this regard and in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations working in this field to come together and device an awareness campaign and online tool that would facilitate the dissemination of information on victims’ rights and available support services that are offered both by Government and also by organisations. This concentrated effort is needed from all stakeholders to raise public awareness, streamline information, facilitate access to services, removing cultural and linguistic barriers and ensure that victims are informed about their rights and the available support Services and serves also to promote transparency involving Government and Civil Society
Results we want to achieve by implementing this commitment
Coordination and better accessibility of different services available; raising awareness and advocacy for victims’ rights to encourage other victims to report and seek support; Promote a multi-agency, multidisciplinary approach to maintain the holistic wellbeing of victims. Measurable activities
Our Commitment Analysis
How will the commitment promote transparency?
The contents of the awareness campaign and online tool kit shall be discussed with all stakeholders involved and implemented according in line with the resources available.
How will the commitment help foster accountability?
A set of milestone shall be set amongst the stakeholders to follow and report.
How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions?
Promoting Victim Support Services and advocating in support of Victims’ rights shall undoubtedly enhance the public in general to take interest and be active by preventing from ending up in similar situations.
Commitment Planning (Milestones | Expected Outputs | Start Date | End Date)
Establishment of a dedicated sub-working group for the implementation of this OGP commitment | Identification of Victims Rights and Support Services that need to be promoted. Identication of different mediums for the dissemination of information Identification of gaps that need to be addressed to remove barriers and facilitate access to information | Jan - 2024 | Dec - 2024
Launching and implementation of Awareness Campaign | Development and implementation of Public Awareness campaign. | Oct - 2024 | Dec - 2025
Launching and implementation of Online toolkit | Design and implement an online toolkit to be set on VSA web portal and linked with other organisations | Oct - 2024 | Dec - 2025
IRM Midterm Status Summary
Action Plan Review
Commitment 2. Raising public awareness in support of victims’ rights and victim support services.
Under Commitment 2, the Victims Support Agency will develop an educational campaign on victims’ rights and support services and a repository to access this information. Victims of crimes in Malta must currently consult multiple sources to access information about their rights, which discourages them from trying to obtain the information they need. [8] The repository will be a one-stop shop for information on victims’ rights and contact information for NGOs who support victims. According to the MoJ, the Victims Support Agency will continue to manage the repository after the end of the action plan. [9] Commenting on the draft commitment, the CSO “SOS Malta” suggested including a common referral system to help service providers identify whether the victim is already being supported and to connect victims more efficiently with the appropriate support service available. The MoJ responded that a referral system could not be developed over a span of two years and the services fall under the remit of different agencies. [10] Once the repository is in place, the IRM recommends revisiting the proposal to add a common referral system. Moreover, SOS Malta recommends focusing on intercultural training to “frontline” agencies supporting victims of crime to address barriers to accessing information in diverse communities. [11] This training could support the educational campaign.