Civil and Criminal Justice Processes – The Basics You Need To Know

Survivors of domestic abuse face many barriers in accessing safety and justice, systems can be daunting and seem overwhelming.   Individuals and organisations working with people impacted by domestic abuse are well placed to signpost survivors to specialist services to support them access and manage any engagement with the criminal and civil justice systems.

This session will provide a brief overview of the criminal and civil justice processes and how they relate to domestic abuse. Participants will gain an insight and understanding of the key legislative have an opportunity to explore some of the most frequently asked questions complainers have in relation to their contact with these systems.

Learning Outcomes

• Increased understanding of how the criminal and civil justice processes in Scotland operate and what this means for those who experience domestic abuse
• Increased understanding of women, children and young people’s rights in relation to the criminal and civil justice processes
• Increased confidence to answer basic questions about the criminal and civil justice processes

Facilitator : Heather Williams is freelance consultant and researcher with over 20 years experience in the violence against women sector working at a national and local level in strategic and frontline roles providing management support and directly supporting women and young people in a variety of settings.  Heather is an experienced trainer and facilitator, working in multi and single agency settings across the public, private and third sectors.   As a researcher her work has included participative research projects and external evaluations of VAW services, including most recently the ‘It Shouldn’t Take a Pandemic’ report for the Glasgow Standing Group on Violence Against Women.