Victim Support Europe will commemorate the European Day for Victims of Crime on Monday, 20 February 2023 with an in-person event ‘Achieving Safe Justice for Victims of Crime’ at The Press Club Brussels Europe. The event, which will take place from 14:00 to 16:00 (CET), will simultaneously be broadcast live on the Brussels Press Club TV.
On this year’s Day for Victims of Crime, we call on all of you to fight for progress, to support improvements in European and national laws, and above all to make sure those laws truly help all victims of crime, no matter the crime, no matter the victim.
With the upcoming review of the 2012 Victims’ Rights Directive, the EU legislation governing the rights and services for all victims of crime, 2023 presents us with an opportunity to really make a difference to the lives of victims.
The theme for this year is “Achieving Safe Justice for Victims of Crime”. Up till now, victims have often been adversely affected on their journey for justice. VSE believes that, when evaluating whether justice has been served, one should not only focus on the efficiency and availability of fair trial rights but should rather see the process from the perspective of the victims and their well-being and safety during the legal proceedings.
JOIN THE DEBATE
Our event on 20 February gives victims an opportunity to share their personal stories and experiences of justice systems. It will open with a victim of 2016 Brussels Terrorist Attacks sharing his interaction with the Belgian criminal justice system and his vision for such systems to provide more supportive and victim-sensitive responses.
VSE will then launch its discussion paper on “Safe Justice for Victims of a Crime”, introducing an innovative vision on the concept of safe justice. The programme will feature European policy makers, victim support workers, law enforcement officers, judges, and EU NGO representatives sharing their views on the meaning of safe justice for victims and on the requirements for successful criminal justice systems.
If you are planning on attending the event in person, please register in this link.
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