A review led by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, due to be published next month, will recommend a raft of measures that shift the focus from the credibility of rape victims towards the suspect's behaviour. A report by the Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham last year concluded that police forces were taking 'excessive amounts of personal data' from victims' phones amid warnings that cases were being dropped due to the intrusive demands. The Government proposals, backed by Home Secretary Priti Patel, will standardise the return of devices to victims within 24 hours. Last month Mr Buckland, a former criminal barrister, announced a new Victims' Code which would allow victims to be informed when an offender leaves prison. The code is expected to form the basis of a consultation for a new victims' law later this year.

Source: The Nation May 16, 2021 00:22 UTC