1 February 2018

Member’s Bill to protect victims of crime

A Bill to protect victims of crime from being contacted by their perpetrators has been submitted to the Member’s Ballot by National MP Louise Upston today.

“It’s my intention that the Corrections (Victim Protection) Amendment Bill would create an obligation on the Chief Executive and on Prison Managers to protect those who are subject to a Protection Order and victims of crime from contact from prisoners.

“Many people would assume this obligation is already in place. Yet, a recent case highlighted in the media exposed the fact a prisoner contacted his victim 93 times in order to get her to change her story,” Ms Upston says.

“Last year a paedophile wrote to his victim, now in her twenties, from prison. The woman said it made her feel ‘unsafe’ and ‘dirty’. These kinds of contacts from prisoners are unacceptable.

“If this Bill is to pass, it would relieve vulnerable victims from additional stress and trauma,” Ms Upston says.

Ms Upston says that the passage of her Bill would add to the work National did during its time in Government to support and protect victims of crime such as the creation of the Chief Victims Advisor role and the Victims of Crime Reform Bill to improve the rights and services for all victims.

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