On a warm spring night, imagine you are walking to the metro after enjoying a film at the cinema. Suddenly, two men jump in front of you. One hits you on the head while the other rifles through your pockets.
They run away and you stagger down the street, realising that you’ve just been stripped of your mobile phone and wallet. In just a few seconds, a pleasant evening has turned into a nightmare.
Unfortunately, stories like this happen every day in Europe. More than 75 million people, or some 15% of the European Union population, are victims of serious crime every year.
At the moment, the treatment and protection of victims varies widely across the European Union. Some people never see a counsellor after a violent crime or are not provided a translator when they testify against an attacker for a crime that took place in another country. Who should victims turn to for support, protection or help navigating through the justice system? What are their rights in each country?
The European Commission has an answer: Minimum Union-wide standards so that victims can be confident of getting help and support whether they get into a car accident while driving to the south of France or get mugged in Barcelona, Liverpool or Hamburg. The new measures proposed today will create a common level of protection across the European Union to help victims of crime recover and benefit from their rights.
Whatever the reason for someone becoming a victim – a mugging, robbery, home break-in, assault, rape, harassment, hate crime, terrorist attack, or human trafficking – everyone shares the same basic needs.
Victims of crime should be treated with respect and sensitivity. Medical, psychological, legal and practical support should be provided. Victims should be able to testify in court without fear of being intimidated by the offender.
What happens if a woman is being stalked and gets a protection order? Is that order valid if she moves to another European Union country? The Commission will ensure that this order is recognised by other member states too – so the victim is still protected when crossing a border.
Victims of crime want to see justice served. They often need closure to get on with their lives. As a result, they need to be told about the trial date, get money back for travel fees and have interpretation and translation during the proceedings.
The history of the European Union shows that we can make a real difference in citizens’ lives by working together. This time we are focusing on victims to ensure that they get the support they need, the respect they deserve, and the rights they have earned. Achieving this will help strengthen citizens’ trust in justice and in the justice systems throughout Europe.
Although we may never be able to reverse victims’ suffering or restore what they have lost, we can reduce their frustration and confusion after a crime. Our goal should be to put victims first. They deserve nothing less.