Victims of crime invited to share their experiences and views via new mobile app

Angelique Foster, Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire, has jointly funded a new mobile app to support her work to improve the care of victims of crime.

Derbyshire Voice enables victims of crime including those of domestic abuse and sexual violence to provide personal testimonies of the support they received in the aftermath of an incident and how these services could be improved in the future.

It is part of a wider project funded by the Commissioner in partnership with Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council to gather the lived experiences of victims of crime and those who support them to help shape future priorities, services and policies for victims of crime across Derbyshire and Derby City.

The contract, awarded to Victim Support following a competitive tendering process, will involve a combination of in-person and digital methods to gather information that will ensure victims of crime remain at the core of the Criminal Justice System.

Focus groups and interviews will be held with participants to maximise the reach of the engagement while Derbyshire Voice will enable subscribers to complete short surveys via their mobile phones.

Victim Support and Safeguarding is a key priority in the Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan, and she has pledged to ensure all victims of crime receive appropriate support and protection including the most vulnerable survivors. She has also vowed to improve support and communication with all victims of crime.

Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: "Victims of crime must remain at the centre of everything we do, and everything we do must be concentrated on reducing the number of those victims.

"Since I was elected, I have relentlessly challenged and scrutinised for better performance and support for victims of crime, and we are seeing significant improvements. Victims of crime play a critical role in this process. Their testimonies have already helped me to understand the barriers preventing people from coming forward to seek help and areas where further resources are necessary to deliver higher quality care.

"This investment will increase the opportunities available for people to share their personal experiences of using victims' services and recognises the immense learning offered by all survivors of crime. Undoubtedly, the best people to influence and design services for victims are those who have already travelled the journey. I would encourage victims of crime to sign up and help us to deliver the standard of care all victims deserve."

Keith Chappell, Lived experience insight lead at Victim Support, said: "This project is a huge step forward in enabling victims to share their lived experience and shape the support services available to them. Across all types of crime, victims are being given the opportunity to have their voices heard - their feedback will be used to help those providing services understand what is working well, and where support could be improved.

"This new app - Derbyshire Voice - is a vital part of this work and will enable us to reach more victims, more quickly, including those who don't usually engage with services. We'd encourage anyone who is willing and able to share their experiences of crime to download the app today."

The Commissioner has allocated £30k to support lived experience provision commissioned by Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council which focuses specifically on victims impacted by domestic abuse and sexual violence.

A further £40k has been allocated by the Commissioner to deliver lived experience provision across all remaining victims services including all adult victims of crime, victims of crime under the age of 18, Hate Crime and Anti-social Behaviour victims (ASB) and Children at Risk of Exploitation. 

For more information on the app and details of how to download, visit this link.