Offenders’ cash to help schemes for victims in Scotland

By GARETH ROSE
Published on 30/01/2013 00:00

PROJECTS to help victims in Scotland will be boosted by more than £1 million a year, under plans to be unveiled next month.

Justice secretary Kenny Mac­Askill will set out plans for a victims surcharge in detail in February. Money will be taken off offenders and go directly to schemes that benefit victims.

It could be fixing a lock that has been broken in a break-in, or replacing bedding that has been damaged or bloodied in a sexual assault.

However, the proposals have received a mixed reception.

A spokesman for Victim Support Scotland said: “The victim surcharge is something we have long campaigned for, and we believe that such a move would further demonstrate the caring nature of this government when it comes to victims.”

However, Sandy Brindley, of Rape Crisis Scotland, said: “If the funding is coming directly from offenders, many survivors would not want to benefit from it. We believe that services like rape crisis centres should be funded by government agencies, not by rapists.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We have proposed the establishment of a victim surcharge to … spend on meeting the immediate needs of victims. This would be in addition to government funding.”