Violence against Women and Girls: Annual Progress Report

Contents

Executive Summary.................................................................................................. 2 Ministerial Foreword ................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 6 Update on progress of implementing the recommendations ....................................... 9

Conventions ................................................................................................ 10

Legislative Reform ....................................................................................... 11

Criminal Justice System ............................................................................... 21

Family Courts System .................................................................................. 29

Health and Care .......................................................................................... 40

Immigration ................................................................................................. 46

Supporting victims and survivors .................................................................. 55

Responding to perpetrators .......................................................................... 66

Awareness .................................................................................................. 70

Education ................................................................................................... 73

Further Research ......................................................................................... 82

Data Development ....................................................................................... 85 Moving Forward ..................................................................................................... 90 VAWG Recommendation Overview .......................................................................... 95

Executive Summary

In November 2023, the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce published a report entitled  "It's a Hidden Problem" The issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey[1]. The report made 77 recommendations for action to address violence against women and girls in Jersey. These recommendations were directed at a range of entities across government, the criminal justice system, health and care, education and support services.

This report is the second in a series of annual progress reports providing an overview of the progress that has been made towards implementing those recommendations.

In total, the 77 recommendations made by the VAWG Taskforce amount to 109 separate actions. The progress towards implementing those actions is as follows:

• 68/109 completed

• 37/109 in progress

• 4/109 not started

Ministerial Foreword  

In March 2024, I published my response to the VAWG Taskforce report and recommendations. That response outlined a detailed implementation plan for how the recommendations of the Taskforce would be taken forward, both inside and outside of government.[2]

The Government's commitment to implementing these recommendations was then underlined in May 2024, when the States Members decided to make this workstream a core priority for delivery in the Common Strategic Policy 2024-2026.[3]

Since that time, I am pleased to report that significant and meaningful action to address the issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey has taken place.

In particular, I would to highlight the following key developments that have taken place over the past year:

• Adoption of new legislation to address violence against women and girls: In January 2026, a package of five new laws designed to address crimes associated with violence against women and girls was lodged with the States Assembly. This included a new law to address harassment and stalking, the creation of new intimate image abuse offences, the insertion of emergency barring orders into the existing law on domestic abuse, the creation of a standalone offence of strangulation, and amendments to the existing threats offence under the Public Order law. The States Assembly voted to adopt this package of legislation on 11 March 2026.

• An independent review of the criminal justice system: In January 2025, UK Barrister Eleanor Laws KC was appointed to conduct a review of the criminal justice system in Jersey in relation to the response and management of domestic abuse, rape and other sexual assault cases. A report detailing the findings and recommendations from the review was published on 11 February 2026. The report made 19 recommendations which aim to improve outcomes for victim-survivors, defendants and justice. These recommendations have been accepted by members of the criminal justice system and implementation has, in many cases, already begun. I am grateful to all of the stakeholders that contributed to the review, but particularly to the victims and survivors who shared their valuable

insights and experiences. The review would not have been possible without their admirable commitment to improving the system for others.

• An independent review of the Family Court system:  In February 2026, I commissioned UK Barrister Hannah Markham KC to conduct a review of the family court system in Jersey in relation to the response and management of cases that involve allegations of domestic abuse. The Terms of Reference[4] for this review have been agreed and published, and the review is now fully underway. A report detailing the findings and recommendations of the review will be published and presented to the new government following the election in June 2026.

• Upskilling our workforce: A significant amount of training has been delivered to a range of professionals over the past year. In September 2025, Links Group was commissioned to deliver valuable training to veterinary staff on the link between domestic abuse and animal abuse. In the same month, the UK Refuge Technology-facilitated Abuse Team was also commissioned to deliver a 2-year package of training on economic abuse and technology-facilitated abuse to a variety of professionals both inside and outside of government. In October, an organisation called Alpha Vesta was commissioned to deliver domestic abuse perpetrator awareness training to a range of frontline public service professionals. Building a comprehensive understanding of the issues surrounding violence against women and girls across our workforce is an ongoing commitment, but I am proud of the progress that has been made so far.

These developments represent the considerable progress that has been made since the publication of the previous annual progress report in 2025.[5]

I am immensely proud of the work that has been done over the past two years. All of the stakeholders that received VAWG Taskforce recommendations have demonstrated a genuine commitment to listening to the voices of victims and survivors, making the improvements that are needed, and creating lasting change that makes the Island safer

for us all.

I also want to extend my gratitude to the VAWG Taskforce for the important work they undertook to shine a light on the issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey and voice the concerns shared by victims and survivors. The Taskforce report and recommendations laid the foundations for the important and meaningful work that has taken place since 2023.

As this term of government draws to a close, it is important that work to address violence against women and girls in Jersey continues. In the final sections of this report,  I have outlined  plans  to  transition  this  government's  commitment  to  implementing  the Taskforce recommendations into an established and long-term workstream that extends beyond  the  implementation  of  the  recommendations  of  the  VAWG  Taskforce, and considers issues of domestic abuse and sexual harm more broadly.  With the aim of assisting the next government to continue this important work, I have outlined a series of challenges in this area for their consideration.  

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat

Minister for Justice and Home Affairs  16 April, 2026

Introduction

In November 2023, the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce published a report entitled "It's a Hidden Problem" The issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey[6]. The report made 77 recommendations for action to address violence against women and girls in Jersey. These recommendations were directed at a range of entities across government, the criminal justice system, health and care, education and support services.

Following on from the publication of the report, the States Assembly voted to adopt Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone 's proposition in the Government Plan 2024 to 2027:

"to commit to the annual publication of a report, in alignment with the Building a Safer Community Framework, to provide updates on the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Taskforce on Violence Against Women and Girls and the impact they have had on preventing violence against women and girls and improving gender equality in Jersey, and include the publication of a timeline of the Government of Jersey's work programme on these areas for the following year."[7]

On 8th March 2024, the Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham , then accepted all of the VAWG Taskforce recommendations on behalf of the Government. On 27th March 2024, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat , published a response and detailed implementation plan for the VAWG Taskforce recommendations.

Considerable progress to implement the VAWG Taskforce recommendations has taken place since this time. This report is the second in a series of annual progress reports providing an overview of the progress that has been made towards implementing those recommendations. Progress made in the first year of implementation was detailed in the first annual progress report that was published in June 2025.[8]

The structure of this report

The main section of this report outlines the progress that has been made towards implementing each recommendation. An effective and holistic approach to addressing violence against women and girls requires a balance of work to address violence once it has  happened, by providing support to victims and survivors and holding perpetrators accountable, but it also requires work to prevent such violence through education, awareness,  careful  policy  design,  and  rehabilitative  interventions.  In  order  to demonstrate  the  position  of  each  action  within  our  wider  approach,  each recommendation has been separated into the categories of "prevention" or "response".

Recommendations split by category

53 54

Prevention Response

For ease of reference, updates on the progress of the recommendations have been separated into the following sections:

• Conventions  

• Legislative Reform  

• Criminal Justice System  

• Family Court System  

• Health and Care  

• Immigration  

• Supporting Victims and Survivors  

• Responding to Perpetrators  

• Awareness  

• Education  

• Further Research  

• Data Development  

The penultimate section of the report outlines a plan for moving forward to implementing a long-term, coordinated workstream that aims to address domestic abuse and sexual harms in Jersey and goes beyond work to implement the recommendations of the VAWG Taskforce.

The final section of this report then provides an overview of each recommendation, who holds responsibility for its implementation, its status and, where relevant, an anticipated timeline for its completion.

Update on progress of implementing recommendations

Update on progress of implementing the VAWG Taskforce recommendations

In total, the 77 recommendations made by the VAWG Taskforce amount to 109 separate actions. The status of each of those actions is as follows:

• 68/109 completed

• 37/109 in progress  

• 4/109 not started

Status of Recommendations

0

4

37

68

Complete In Progress Not Started Awaiting Reporting

Status of Recommendations: Split by Category

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2

0

Complete/No Further Action In Progress Not Started Awaiting Reporting

RESPONSE  Conventions

Conventions

Overview

No.  Recommendation  Category  Status

1  Extend the Istanbul Convention to Jersey  Response  In Progress

Recommendation 1

Key Developments  

Officers notified the UK Home Office of the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs' intention to seek extension of the Istanbul Convention[9] to Jersey in early 2025. Officers were  assured  that  the  extension  process  can  begin  on  the  understanding  that  the necessary work is underway.  

A significant programme of work has been undertaken to ensure that Jersey's legislative framework satisfies the obligations set out by the Istanbul Convention. This has included:

• Adoption  of  a  new  Harassment  and  Stalking  (Jersey)  Law  202-  to  support compliance with Article 34 (see also Recommendation 28).

• Adoption of a proposition to amend  the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law  2022 to introduce emergency barring orders  to support compliance with Article  52 (see also Recommendations 24.1 and 24.2.

Work to develop a centralised dataset on violence against women and girls in Jersey  is also in progress to support compliance with Article 11 (see also Recommendations 3 and

14 on p.88-87).

Next Steps  

• Enact  the approved legislative reforms following completion of operational preparations and Royal Assent.

• Publish first round of data reporting for VAWG centralised dataset.

• Complete compliance report and send to UK Home Office to formally initiate extension process.  

Legislative Reform

Overview

In January 2026, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs lodged a package of five laws relating to the implementation of the recommendations of the VAWG Taskforce and strengthening the ability of the criminal justice system in Jersey to address crimes associated with violence against women and girls. This included:

• Draft Harassment and Stalking (Jersey) Law 202-

• Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-

• Draft Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-

• Draft Crime (Strangulation) (Jersey) Law 202-

• Draft Crime (Public Order) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-

The States Assembly voted to adopt this package of legislation on 11 March 2026.

Recommendation 8

Key Developments

It was initially intended that a new offence of sexual or sex-based harassment in public would be introduced into the Crime (Public Order) (Jersey) Law 2024. An amendment to the law was drafted for this purpose, as part of the wider work being undertaken to implement the legislative recommendations of the VAWG Taskforce.

However, in the final phase of consultation with criminal justice stakeholders, concerns were raised regarding whether it was appropriate to introduce special protections for people who experience harassment on the basis of their sex, when such protections do not yet exist for people who experience harassment on the basis of other characteristics, such as their religion or race. In order to avoid creating a "hierarchy of rights", it was decided that specific protections for individuals who experience harassment on the basis of their gender or sex will be introduced as part of a more robust package of protection for a range of groups that experience harassment on the basis of their characteristics, via the introduction of a new Hate Crime law.

Next Steps  

Officers are actively working to develop a public consultation for a new Hate Crime law. This consultation is scheduled for publication once the new Government is in place.  

Recommendation 10

Key Developments  

In late 2025 the Assistant Minister for Sustainable Economic Development approved law drafting instructions to develop new legislation for Jersey designed to:

1. Make it easier for people in Jersey to get illegal content or content which breaches the internet service's own rules removed from social media, websites and search engines; and
2. Enhance online privacy by establishing clear guidelines to support the removal of images and videos that depict Islanders and are causing distress.

From 5 January to 6 March 2026, a public consultation on the proposed legislation was held. The respondents showed strong support for giving Islanders a statutory right to request the removal of illegal content or material that breaches a platform's own rules, raising the online protection of Islanders in line with changes happening globally. Over 80% of respondents were in favour of the proposals, with three quarters of

responders also supporting enhanced online privacy protections, including clearer rights to request the removal of distressing images shared without consent. The full consultation report was published on 7 April 2026.[10]

The valuable insights gained from this consultation will be fed into the development of the new draft law for Jersey.

Next Steps  

• Development of the proposed draft law remains a priority for 2026 and will continue to be developed in consultation with key stakeholders both internal and external to Government and with the new Council of Ministers, subject to continued Council of Ministers support. It is the intention that the draft law will be subject to a further round of Island-wide consultation before being lodged for debate by the States Assembly.  

• As part of the Government's response to the Scrutiny report, "What protection do children in Jersey have from online harms?" a legislative gap analysis for Jersey is to be completed. This will help inform additional legislative priorities that will be developed within the next political term.

Recommendation 11

Key Developments

The Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-[11] was lodged with the States Assembly on 13th January 2026 and Adopted on 11th March 2026.

This law introduced seven new intimate image abuse offences into the sexual offences law, including:

• Possession of an intimate image without consent

• Making an intimate image without consent

• Making a deepfake intimate image without consent

• Sharing an intimate image without consent

• Threatening to share an intimate image without consent

• Causing someone to make or share an intimate image

• Sending a person an unsolicited pornographic image ("cyberflashing")

These offences capture forms of intimate image abuse that makes use of authentic images alongside forms of abuse that make use of "deepfake" AI technology.

This Law also -

• Amended the Article 36 of Voyeurism to remove the need to prove the act was motivated by sexual gratification;

• Widened the scope of the Article 15 Sexual grooming of a child offence; and

• Updated Art 2A of the Protection of Children (Jersey) Law 1994 which relates to proceedings related to indecent photographs of children, to bring this legislation back into alignment with international standards.

Next Steps  

The Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- will come into force by Commencement Order once the operational preparations for this law have been completed. Operational preparations will include:

• Ensuring the appropriate initial funding and resourcing is in place for the criminal justice system to operationalise this law.

• The Attorney General publishing guidance relevant to the application of this law, including how young people will be treated under this new legislation.

• Providing training to the relevant stakeholders on the function, application and protections provided by this new law.  

Recommendation 24.1  

Emergency barring orders should be re-introduced into the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Draft Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-[12] was lodged with the States Assembly on 13th January 2026 and Adopted on 11th March 2026.

The law introduced new powers for the States of Jersey Police and the Courts to protect victims of domestic abuse before a perpetrator has been convicted of a relevant offence. In particular, the law introduced:  

• Emergency barring notices: The police can issue these notices if they suspect a person has perpetrated domestic abuse, and the notice is necessary for the protection of a victim. A suspect can be subject to a number of conditions, such as being prohibited from contacting or coming within a specified distance of the victim, and not being allowed to enter the victim's residence (regardless of whether they share that residence with the victim). These notices can last for up to 72-hours. The police have the power to arrest someone who breaches the conditions of this notice.  

• Emergency barring orders: The Courts can issue these orders if they are satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, the suspect has perpetrated domestic abuse. A suspect can be subject to the same conditions as those that can be imposed by an emergency barring notice, but this order can last up to 3-months. Breaching the conditions of this order is an offence that carries a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine.  

Next Steps  

The Draft Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- will come into force by Commencement Order once the operational preparations for this law have been completed. Operational preparations will include:

• Ensuring the appropriate initial funding and resourcing is in place for the criminal justice system to operationalise this law.

• The Attorney General publishing guidance relevant to the application of this law, including how young people will be treated under this new legislation.

• Providing training to the relevant stakeholders on the function, application and protections provided by this new law.  

• Agreeing the practicalities of issuing emergency barring notices and orders between the States of Jersey Police, Law Officers' Department, and the Courts.

• Agreeing and issuing practice guidance relating to the provision of emergency accommodation arrangements for suspects of domestic abuse that are subject to emergency barring notices.

Recommendation 24.2

An accountability mechanism for the use of emergency barring orders by the police service should be established in their design.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete

Key Developments

When the VAWG Taskforce recommended that emergency barring orders were inserted into our Domestic Abuse law, they were clear that we must also include safeguards against the misuse of these powers.

As a result, safeguards against the misuse of emergency barring notices were included in the design of the Draft Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-[13]. The key safeguard is a restriction on the issuing on subsequent emergency barring notices, to prevent multiple notices from being issued on the same basis (see Article 4E Restriction on issuing subsequent emergency barring notice).

Under this provision, the police cannot issue a new emergency barring notice if no further domestic abuse has taken place and the context of the situation remains the same. However, if domestic abuse has taken place and the context changes – such as further domestic abuse has taken place, or the living arrangements of the suspect now place a new person at risk – then they will be able to issue a new notice.

Recommendation 25.1

Non-fatal strangulation should be named as a standalone offence Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Draft Crime (Strangulation) (Jersey) Law 202-[14] was lodged with the States Assembly on 13th January 2026 and Adopted on 11th March 2026.

The law –

• Introduced a new, standalone offence of strangulation that carries a penalty of up to 10-years imprisonment and a fine;

• Introduced a legal definition of strangulation (see Article 1(3)); and

• Placed stronger restrictions on the use of consent as a defence to the act of strangulation (see Article 1(2)).

Next Steps  

• Ensuring the appropriate initial funding and resourcing is in place for the criminal justice system to operationalise this law.

• The Attorney General publishing guidance relevant to the application of this law, including how young people will be treated under this new legislation and the type and standard of evidence that is needed to prove "serious harm".

• Providing training to the relevant stakeholders on the function, application and protections provided by this new law.  

• Providing training to the relevant stakeholders on the dangers and indicators of non-fatal strangulation.

• Agreeing and issuing practice guidance for a forensic medical pathway for responding to victims of non-fatal strangulation (see also recommendation

46.2 on p.45).

• Ensuring the appropriate initial funding and resourcing is in place for the operationalisation of a forensic medical pathway for responding to victims of non-fatal strangulation.

Recommendations 27.1 and 27.2

Key Developments

The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs has committed to reviewing the efficacy of the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022 in respect of economic abuse in 2028, at which time the legislation will have been in place for a number of years and officers will be able to effectively assess the impact it has had before considering further reform.

Next Steps  

• The review of the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022 in respect of economic abuse is scheduled to take place in 2028.

Recommendation 28

Stalking should be named as an offence in Jersey legislation. Owner  Justice and Home Affairs Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Draft Harassment and Stalking (Jersey) Law 202-[15] was lodged with the States Assembly on 13th January 2026 and Adopted on 11th March 2026.

This law introduced four new offences relating to harassment and stalking:

• Harassment

• Aggravated harassment (where a victim is in fear of violence or experiences serious distress)  

• Stalking

• Aggravated stalking (where a victim is in fear of violence or experiences serious distress)  

The law provides a clear definition of "stalking behaviours" as a more serious and dangerous form of harassment that includes:

• Carrying out surveillance of a victim;  

• Intruding into a victim's personal life; or

• Interfering in a victim's life by disrupting or sabotaging their reputation or livelihood, or endangering their safety.

This law also introduced new protective measures for victims of stalking called "Stalking Protection Orders". The Courts can issue these orders if they are satisfied that, on the balance of probabilities, a suspect has engaged in stalking behaviour and the order is necessary to protect a victim.

These orders can place a number of conditions on a subject such as:  

• Prohibiting them from contacting a victim;

• Prohibiting them from coming within a specified distance of a victim;

• Prohibiting them from undertaking surveillance of a victim; and

• Prohibiting them from referring to the victim on social media (directly or indirectly).

These orders can be issued regardless of whether a suspect has been convicted of a relevant offence and can last for up to 10-years. Breaching the conditions of this order is an offence that carries a penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine.

Next Steps  

The Draft Harassment and Stalking (Jersey) Law 202- will come into force by Commencement Order once the operational preparations for this law have been completed. Operational preparations will include:

• Ensuring the appropriate initial funding and resourcing is in place for the criminal justice system to operationalise this law

• The Attorney General publishing guidance relevant to the application of this law, including how young people will be treated under this new legislation

• Providing training to the relevant stakeholders on the function, application and protections provided by this new law.  

• Agreeing the practicalities of issuing stalking protection orders and interim stalking protection orders between the States of Jersey Police, Law Officers' Department, and the Courts.

Recommendations 70.1 and 70.2

Key Developments

Work is ongoing to develop a system of supervision for offenders leaving prison for the last period of their sentence. Discussions with stakeholders in the justice system have been ongoing and an initial draft of the legislation has been developed.

Next Steps  

The draft Law and proposed steps for finalisation will be presented to the new Minister for Justice and Home Affairs in July 2026. Subject to the approval of the new Minister, the intention is to complete the new legislation by early 2027.

Criminal Justice System

Criminal Justice System

Overview

States of Jersey Police should publish their procedure for managing concerns about police behaviour, including disciplinary processes and actions.

Owner  States of Jersey Police  

Status  Complete

Key Developments

A new policy to address police perpetrated VAWG was introduced in January 2025. Training to supervisors and force wide communications sees this new process implemented with appropriate governance by Senior Responsible Officers and the Professional Standards Department.

This policy is published on the States of Jersey Police website and can be accessed here: https://www.jersey.police.je/s/contact-us/compliments-and-complaints.

New regulations to modernise the approach to police complaints and discipline have been developed and were adopted by the States Assembly on 25 and 26 November 2025. The new regulations are now in force and be found here:

• Honorary Police: https://www.jerseylaw.je/laws/current/ro_78_2025

• States of Jersey Police Force: https://www.jerseylaw.je/laws/current/ro_77_2025

Next Steps  

The Police Senior Leadership Team approved publication of sanitised data in relation to disciplinary processes and actions. The scope and detail of data is currently being reviewed prior to publication on the States of Jersey Police website

Recommendation 17.1

States of Jersey Police officers should receive training on how to manage conflicts of interest.

Owner  States of Jersey Police  

Status  Complete

Key Developments

A new conflict of interest policy was introduced in January 2025. Training to supervisors and force wide communications has taken place to ensure this new process was implemented with appropriate governance by the Professional Standards Department.

States of Jersey Police should publish their policy for managing conflicts of interest within the police service.

Owner  States of Jersey Police  

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The States of Jersey Police policy for managing conflicts of interest has been published on their website and can be accessed here: https://www.jersey.police.je/s/contact - us/compliments-and-complaints.

Recommendation 22

Professionals who support victim-survivors should be provided with up-to-date information and education on the Jersey legal context and the criminal justice system to ensure they are able to provide accurate advice and information.

Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  Complete - Ongoing

Key Developments

The subgroup under the Criminal Justice Working Group dealing specifically with training and development is undertaking a training needs analysis within the Criminal Justice System to identify need and cost of delivery.

Special Measures training, training around the taking of victim personal statements and support in the Family court has already been provided.

Next Steps  

The training needs analysis will encompass specific training required for those supporting victim-survivors in both Criminal and Family court environments.

A rolling training programme in relation to the following is planned;

• Special measures provision

• Victim personal statements

• Family Court support

Specific training in relation to the use and instruction of intermediaries is also planned.

There is no deadline to completion of this as it is seen as an ongoing programme of work that will be provided as needed and will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any changes in law, practise and/or procedure.

Key Developments

The Attorney General's website contains a section relating to prosecution guidance. Within that is clear guidance on the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022 which includes examples of what could be considered to be coercive control.

The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/guidance - and-directives/prosecution-guidance/domestic-abuse/  

Recommendation 15

Key Developments  

The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat , commissioned an independent review of the criminal justice system in relation to the management of domestic abuse, rape and sexual offences cases. UK Barrister Eleanor Laws KC was appointed to conduct this review.

The review took place between December 2024 – December 2025. The Terms of Reference for the review were agreed by the key criminal justice stakeholders that took part in this work including the States of Jersey Police, the Criminal Division of the Law Officers' Department, the Courts, Dewberry House Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Jersey Domestic Abuse Support, FREEDA, and the Jersey Probation and Aftercare Service. The Terms of Reference can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Government%20and%20administration/ Terms%20of%20Reference%20for%20the%20Independent%20VAWG%20Criminal%20 Justice%20Review.pdf  

A report entitled, "The Laws Review: Independent review of domestic abuse, rape and other sexual assault cases", detailing the key findings and recommendations of the review was published on 11th February 2026. The report detailed 19 recommendations for work to improve the way the criminal justice system responds to and manages cases relating to domestic abuse and sexual offences.

The report can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/Government/Pages/StatesReports.aspx?ReportID=6007

Next Steps

All of the criminal justice stakeholders that participated in the review have accepted the recommendations made by Eleanor Laws KC. Work to implement many of these recommendations has already begun, and will be overseen by the Criminal Justice Systems Board, which meets quarterly.

There are two outstanding recommendations that the next government will need to formally respond to following the election in June 2026. These are:

• Recommendation 1: Mandatory vulnerable witness training (funded by the GoJ) for professionals working within the criminal justice system, to be completed every three years.

• Recommendation 19: Monitor progress and report by Q2 2027.

Recommendation 20.1

The Law Officer's Department should more clearly signpost to the Code on the decision to prosecute.

Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Attorney General's website has a publications page which contains a link to the Code on the Decision to Prosecute.

This can be accessed here: https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/code-on-the- decision-to-prosecute/code-on-the-decision-to-prosecute/  

Additionally, when writing to victims of crime to explain decisions or responding to complaints or other correspondence concerning charging decisions, reference to the Code on the Decision to Prosecute is made to help explain the approach taken, and a copy of the link to the Attorney General's website is provided.

A simplified version of the guiding principles and general rationale used to make decisions on whether to pursue a prosecution should also be published.

Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Attorney General's website has a publications page which contains a link to a simplified version of the Code on the Decision to Prosecute.

This can be accessed here: https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/code-on-the- decision-to-prosecute/simplified-code/  

In all matters when writing to victims of crime to explain decisions or responding to complaints or other correspondence concerning charging decisions, reference to the Code on the Decision to Prosecute is made to help explain the approach taken, and a copy of the link to the Attorney General's website provided.

Recommendation 21

The decision-making process for accepting and rejecting applications for special measures should be reviewed.

Owner  Royal Court

Status  Complete

Key Developments

In December 2025, the Royal Court held that there would now be a "presumption in favour" of granting special measures in cases involving vulnerable witnesses; AG v De La Haye [2025] JRC 338[16].

Clear and simple information on the guiding principles and general rationale used to make sentencing decisions in Jersey should be published.

Owner  Royal Court

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The reasons for all Royal Court sentencing decisions are published on the Jersey Legal Information Board website[17]. Further, in the recent Royal Court case of AG v Roberts[18] confirmed by the Court of Appeal ([2025] JCA 222), the Jersey courts laid down clear guidelines for rape sentencing and identified a list of harm and culpability factors determining the starting point for a custodial sentence which would then be adjusted according to the presence of listed aggravating and mitigating factors.

Recommendation 25.2

Guidance on the evidentiary basis for proving non-fatal strangulation should be issued alongside the offence.

Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  In Progress

Anticipated Deadline  July 2026

Key Developments

The States Assembly agreed to introduce a new offence of strangulation through their adoption of the Crime (Strangulation) (Jersey) Law 202- on 11th March 2026. Work to develop guidance on this offence is now in progress.

Next Steps  

Guidance will be finalised and published on the Attorney General's website.

Guidance should be issued that makes it clear that economic abuse is covered under the new offence of domestic abuse under the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022. Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Attorney General's website contains a section relating to prosecution guidance. Within that is clear guidance on the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022.

The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/guidance - and-directives/prosecution-guidance/domestic-abuse/  

Examples of the types of behaviour which can be considered domestic abuse are outlined within the guidance and specific reference is made to economic abuse and situations which could be considered to be economic abuse.

Family Courts System

Family Courts System

Overview

Key Developments

Although many members of the judiciary have already had training on the impact of domestic abuse and violence against parties participating and children involved in court proceedings, at the request and by arrangement of the judiciary, an invitation was extended to Professor Jo Delahunty KC, a well-regarded specialist in children law, to come to Jersey to give training to the judiciary and lawyers specialising in family work. Professor Delahunty has previously trained English judges in respect of domestic abuse.  

An invitation to participate in this training was extended to all members of the Jersey Family Justice Council[19] (JFJC) and members of their teams, together with lawyers working in the Law Officers' Department and Jersey lawyers specialising in family work. This training, which took place in November 2024, covered the importance and impact of allegations of domestic abuse and violence, including financial abuse and coercive control.

The training was aimed at recognising and managing risk and trauma in the court arena, including taking measures to offer support to victims, addressing allegation of domestic abuse thoroughly and safely where necessary in those proceedings, including offering special measures to victims and witnesses to ensure that other participants in the proceedings cannot behave in a manner likely to further perpetuate abuse or retraumatise victims.

However, the court is not able to impose training on professionals; the Law Society as the profession's regulatory body may choose to do so.

Key Developments

1. The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs has appointed Hannah Markham KC ("HMKC") to conduct a review of family proceedings. HMKC will consider what, if any, additional training may be required by the judiciary over and above SafeLives training (see response to recommendation 38.3 on p.33).
2. Judiciary to continue learning with the review of Domestic Abuse and the Family Justice System, published March 2026, written by, inter alia, Jo Delahunty KC who delivered initial training to family court users and judiciary in November 2024.

Next Steps  

HMKC to review and if identified, additional training will be commissioned but it is thought likely that the Safe Lives training will meet this requirement.

Recommendation 38.1

Key Developments

This recommendation was completed as part of the work to deliver perpetrator awareness training to a range of professionals (see recommendation 68).

Key Developments

1. In conjunction with the Jersey Family Law Association, the Law Society and JFCAS, the Family Judges are supporting the initiative for day-long training with SafeLives, who are creating a bespoke package of training for court users and judiciary, including advocates, offering domestic abuse training to be delivered over three separate days

with the aim of educating all court users about key messages and current thinking.

2. In conjunction with JFJC and the Minister for Children and Families, we are exploring training on a trauma informed approach to family proceedings to address the question

of how courts manage and respond to adult and child victims of domestic abuse, to

avoid perpetuation of abuse or proliferation of trauma by litigation.

3. A scoping exercise is being undertaken to explore the implementation of a new child and domestic abuse focussed private law initiative (known as the Pathfinder project/Child Focussed Court currently being expanded in England and Wales). If implemented, this will cause a shift in procedure, reducing the number of court hearings in private law hearings, usually to no more than one, thereby avoiding the perpetuation of abuse through litigation.

Next Steps  

1. Scoping work completed; pricing for the training has been quantified. Location and dates for the training have yet to be agreed.
2. Work is being done to dovetail the expected trauma informed training with the investigations currently underway by Children's Social Care.

An initial meeting has been held with Dr Sheena Webb about bespoke training for the judiciary.

3. A meeting has taken place between the Head of Operations of CAFCASS Cymru and key potential team members of the Child Focussed Court equivalent in Jersey. The Family Judge will attend the Child Focussed Court in Cardiff in June 2026. Other team members to arrange travel and attendance.

Training on the role of IDVAS and the qualifications they have completed should be introduced for all Family Court professionals.

Owner  Family Courts

Status  In Progress

Anticipated Deadline    Q2 2026

Key Developments

The Family Judge has had an initial meeting with JDAS to discuss information sharing.

Next Steps  

A further meeting has been organised in April 2026 to enable an exchange of information about the roles/qualifications of IDVAs and the court.

Recommendations 29.1 and 29.2

Key Developments

The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat , commissioned an independent review of the family courts system in relation to the management of cases involving domestic abuse allegations. UK Barrister Hannah Markham KC was appointed to conduct this review in February 2026.  

The initial Terms of Reference for this review were developed in consultation with the Jersey Family Justice Council[20]. The Terms were then finalised by the independent reviewer, following initial scoping meetings with the key stakeholders participating in the review, including:

• Bailiff and Deputy Bailiff

• The Family Division of the Royal Court

• Jersey Family Court Advisory Service (JFCAS)

• Private Practice Family Lawyers  

• Legal Aid Family Lawyers

• Children, Young People, Education and Skills

• Children's Services  

• Freedom from Domestic Abuse (FREEDA)

• Jersey Domestic Abuse Support (JDAS)

• James' Ark

• Secondary Schools  

• Primary Schools  

• Safeguarding Partnership Jersey

• Specialist Mental Health Services  

The Terms of Reference for the review are published here: https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Staying%20safe/Independent%20Review %20of%20the%20Family%20Court%20System%20Terms%20of%20Reference.pdf

Next Steps  

The field work elements of this review are scheduled to take place between March and May 2026. This will include: case file assessments, interviews and focus groups, surveys and observation of Family Court proceedings.

A report detailing the findings and recommendations of the review will be published in June 2026, once the new government is in place.

Recommendation 31

Key Developments

The first draft of the pathway is complete and key agencies and individuals have been

asked to consult. Most have now provided feedback. The final draft, incorporating multi - agency views, is in production and the team have implemented into JFCAS practice.

Whilst it is envisaged the final document will be complete by June, it is to be

emphasised that this will remain under regular review as the pathway is to be viewed as

part of ongoing evolving practice.  

Next Steps  

Final draft to be completed and sent to Chief Officer. Supporting documents (risk assessment, practitioner tools) are being finalised at present and in-house training to be implemented with the team.

Recommendation 33

Key Developments

The review by Hannah Markham KC (see recommendation 29 on p.35) is expected to identify where Jersey may be able to improve on Practice Direction12J. The Family Judges, with the approval and support of the Bailiff , will publish and implement a practice direction, in conjunction with HMKC, following delivery of her initial report.

Next Steps  

Work to commence on delivery of the HMKC review.

Recommendation 34

JFCAS should prioritise a review of outcomes according to the gender of the party over the past 5- years.

Owner  Jersey Family Court Advisory Service

Status  Complete

Key Developments

New electronic feedback forms have been created and are being used – feedback is more timely and asks about experiences around safeguarding/abusive behaviours. JFCAS are also gathering data at the start of cases about domestic abuse and recording this more systematically.  

Recommendation 35

Key Developments

The Family Court has only two judges, who do not have the capacity to undertake a review of a substantial number of past cases. Were they to do so, such a review would likely involve vulnerable parents and adults which might renew trauma and harm for no real purpose. It is important to look to the future and make changes so as to affect

current and future cases. In any event, the recommendation is based on a premise namely a "presumption of parental involvement" that is not found in the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 and the Family Judges are not aware of cases where such an extra - statutory presumption has undermined the safety of any child. Accordingly, such a

review would be time-consuming, potentially harmful to the participants in the proceedings and unlikely to yield useful data. The starting point for all applications in relation to contact and residence is the welfare of the child, as enshrined in the

Children (Jersey) Law 2002.

Recommendation 36

Key Developments

The Family Court is required by statue to always have regard to the best interests of the child. Where questions arise and are put before the court in respect of the safety or welfare of a child, the court always considers the child with the provisions of Article 2 of the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 firmly in mind. As the legislation currently stands, the court is only able to review cases which are currently before it or when parties bring a matter back to court for review, for example, on a change of circumstances which may include an allegation of domestic abuse.

Recommendation 37

Key Developments

1. Training to be offered across the family court and professionals on domestic abuse and a trauma informed approach to family proceedings. SafeLives have been  commissioned  to  offer  training  created  specifically  for  court  users  on domestic abuse. Trauma informed approach training  specifically for judiciary currently being explored with Dr Sheena Webb.  
2. Meeting held in January 2026 between Children's Social Care, Family Judge and JFCAS  to  explore  obstacles  to  data  sharing  which  might  impede  efforts  to interaction  between  the  various  services  enabling  them  to  share  pertinent information.  
3. Child Focussed court (private law): initiative has been introduced to JFJC in plenary meeting in March  2026 to (1) frontload sharing of information about children's wishes and feelings and (2) reduce exposure to victims of abusers in private children proceedings. Please see response from Family Court for more information (see also recommendation 38.3 on p. 33).
4. Jersey Problem Solving court pilot being explored on a granular level to identify cost and sources of funding.  
5. JFJC in plenary session in March 2026 was made aware of and discussed the recent decision of the president of the Family Division in Re Y [2026] EWFC 38[21] in which the court identified modern practice  where allegations are made and purported "experts" instructed in alienating behaviour.
6. Hannah Markham KC (Family proceedings reviewer appointed by the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, see recommendation 29 on p.35) was invited to attend March 2026 plenary JFJC meeting as an observer; the recommendations of her review will inform how (2) and (3) above are implemented.

Next Steps  

1. Training: expected to be delivered in 2026 for domestic abuse and Q1/Q2 2027 for trauma informed approach.
2. Information sharing: JFCAS are working with the judiciary in the Family Court to create a risk assessment template to highlight, inter alia, risk of domestic abuse. Further work needs to be done on data sharing models/plans to  ensure that Children's Social Care can participate in the initiative to ensure that information sharing is appropriate, not open to abuse and respects data protection regulatory requirements
3. Child Focussed Court: Please see feedback from the Family Court and the steps being undertaken to investigate and implement a procedure which limits exposure

to  the  perpetuation  of  domestic  abuse  through  court  proceedings  (see recommendation 38.3 on p.33).

4. Jersey Problem Solving Court: Working group have schedule of meetings, including meeting planned with Health to work towards agreeing model for the pilot.
5. Hannah Markham KC: review awaited (see recommendation 29 on p.35).

Recommendation 38.2

A dedicated perpetrator referral process into Jersey Domestic Abuse Programme should be included within the JFCAS domestic abuse practice pathway.

Owner  Jersey Family Court Advisory Service

Status  Complete

Key Developments

This recommendation has been addressed through the Domestic Abuse Pathway (see Recommendation 31 on p.36).

Health and Care

Health and Care

Overview

To address the healthcare-related recommendations 41-46.2, the Government of Jersey has formed a healthcare working group comprising healthcare professionals. The group's purpose is to involve sector experts in supporting the implementation of these recommendations.

The first meeting took place in February 2025. Following this initial meeting, it was agreed that dividing the group into subgroups would be advantageous, allowing members to apply their expertise to relevant recommendations.

Recommendation 40

Key Developments

In January 2024, the Jersey Quality Improvement Framework was published with new requirements that 70% of GPs per GP surgery should have completed the IRIS training. This provided a strong incentive for all surgeries to improve uptake of training.

Since that time, the IRIS project has remained ongoing and a steering group meets regularly to discuss progress.

As of end of Q1 of 2026 115 out of 146 GPs (79%) on the island have taken part in the training. Of the 31 GPs who have not yet completed the training, 12 have only recently started practicing in the island and have agreed to take part in the training before the end of the year.  

IRIS Training was most recently delivered in March 2026.

Next Steps  

• Three further training dates have been scheduled for Autumn 2026.

• Officers are working to deliver training to administrative staff working at GP surgeries.  

Recommendations 41, 42, 43.1, 44.2, 45.2

Key Developments

The working group has been engaged with individual service areas to gain an understanding of current practices regarding routine and targeted enquiries for Violence Against Women and Girls. A review of routine enquiry questions and approaches from national guidance was conducted to inform the implementation and identify any limitations for practice and to identify how information is documented within existing system's and what pathways are used to support patients.

Following the individual consultations a meeting was held with representatives from all identified service areas to review findings. Additionally, a dip sample audit was conducted to assess current enquiry practices and documentation. The findings from this audit will be reviewed at the next group meeting. Regarding the targeted enquiries, the group will be considering a risk informed and needs led approach which will prompt more focused questioning. This approach will rely on professionals to follow up and ensure enquiries are conducted sensibility at appropriate times and in a safe and

private environment with clear referral pathways to support clients effectively.

Next Steps  

The group's next meeting will focus on deciding and agreeing a set of routine questions that are consistent and workable across all service areas, ensuring that enquiries are both effective and sensitive to the client needs alongside refining the approach to target enquiries to ensure a coordinated and effective response across services. Delivery of training will be undertaken to equip the workforce to ensure there is a universal response to VAWG.

Recommendations 43.2, 44.1 and 45.1  

Key Developments

Level 2 and Level 3 Safeguarding training have been amended to incorporate Violence Against Women and Girls. JDAS continue to attend the HCJ Safeguarding Level 3. Staff can access Domestic Abuse training on Connect People, the Government of Jersey staff training portal.

A mapping exercise was completed to identify what training was being delivered across different organisations, any gaps and how best to align training. The mapping process provided a baseline shared with Building a Safer Community (BASC). BASC completed a wider review to inform Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms meetings. Domestic abuse training is available on Connect. Consideration for this training to be rolled out should be explored across departments.

Next Steps  

The new lead for the recommendation is meeting with colleagues to progress the recommendations with Drug and Alcohol and Mental Health colleagues to scope what is required for their service area.  

Recommendation 46.1

Key Developments

The institute for addressing strangulation IFAS Non-Fatal Strangulation Pathway has been accepted as the agreed pathway to follow and is in use. Some actions require completion ahead of training being rolled out and are addressed in the Self-Referral pathway.

 A series of training dates for face-to-face training and planned recorded session will be completed. Training will focus on improving staff awareness of the signs and risk associated with Non-Fatal Strangulation, strengthen confidence to ask appropriate questions and ensure staff understand the correct clinical and safeguarding responses, including documentation and referrals. It is anticipated the training will roll out at the time of the launch of the self-referral pathway.

Next Steps

• Non-Fatal Strangulation training to be recorded and available to access on Connect.

• A series of face-to-face Non-Fatal Strangulation training sessions will be delivered to clinical staff.

Recommendation 46.2

A self-referral pathway should be made available to victim-survivors of non-fatal strangulation to see a forensic physician.

Owner  VAWG Health Working Group

Status  In Progress

Anticipated Deadline  December 2026

Key Developments

The institute for addressing strangulation IFAS Non-Fatal strangulation Pathway has been accepted as the agreed pathway to follow. The pathway is currently in use in the Emergency Department and in use by Ambulance Services for the identification and assessment of Non-Fatal Strangulation. Discussions for the development of a self - referral pathway have taken place. The group is very keen to work together on the referral.

Next Steps  

• The self-referral pathway will be developed in line with the IFAS pathway and amended to meet the Jersey context and availability.

• Discussion with radiology in regard to reading of images and accessing specialist review off-island is being explored.

• Training within the radiology department for clinicians.

• Data Reporting is in progress with the digital team. The Maxims hospital system drop down menu has now got Strangulation added to enable data capture once it has gone live.  

• Meeting with stakeholders on how to proceed once the self-referral pathway has been developed.  

Immigration

Immigration

Overview

JCIS should improve the information available to the public on the immigration system and the rights and entitlements of migrants.

Owner  Jersey Customs and Immigration Service

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The government webpages related to the Migrant Domestic Abuse Concession and Family Visas have been updated. This includes signposting to specialist support services. The updated webpages can be accessed here:

Migrant Domestic Abuse Concession: https://www.gov.je/Government/Departments/JusticeHomeAffairs/Departments/Custo msImmigration/Pages/MigrantDomesticAbuseConcession.aspx#:~:text=The%20Migran t%20Domestic%20Abuse%20Concession,ended%20because%20of%20domestic%20 abuse.

Family Visas: https://www.gov.je/Government/Departments/JusticeHomeAffairs/Departments/Custo msImmigration/pages/familyvisas.aspx#:~:text=Depending%20on%20your%20circums tances%20you,fianc%C3%A9%20or%20proposed%20civil%20partner

Recommendation 50.2

Migrants should also receive information on specialist VAWG support services. This information should be presented in a user-friendly format.

Owner  Jersey Customs and Immigration Service

Status  Complete

Key Developments

There is clear signposting to a single document of truth on the government website. This information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/LifeEvents/MovingToJersey/LivingInJersey/Pages/Work.aspx

Key Developments

The States of Jersey Police and the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service have agreed to adopt the approach outlined in the UK's Migrant Victim Protocol to help protect eligible migrant victims of domestic abuse. They have reviewed and updated their data sharing policies to highlight that victim safety is the priority, data is not shared automatically and there is transparency in how data is shared. This aligns with the UK National Police Chiefs' Council Information sharing with the Home Office, where a victim or witness of crime is a suspected immigration offender.

Both services continue to monitor the data sharing landscape to ensure they align with UK best practise, given Jersey is part of the common travel area.

Next Steps  

Await latest version of UK Migrant Victim Protocol and remain aligned.

Recommendation 52.2

Key Developments

Data Sharing policies between the SoJP and JCIS have been updated, made publicly accessible and are supported with easy explanations of when and how people's data might be shared.

Jersey Customs and Immigration Service:  

• The privacy policy for the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/Government/Departments/PrivacyPoliciesRetentionSchedul es/JHAPrivacyPolicies/pages/customsimmigration.aspx

States of Jersey Police:  

• Advice for victims of domestic abuse from migrant communities can be found here: https://www.jersey.police.je/s/advice/victims-of-domestic-abuse-from- migrant-communities -MCZ2YEMEZFDJGYHLCXU4WTE6RGQI  

• The States of Jersey Police Fair Processing notice can be accessed here: https://www.jersey.police.je/s/accessing-information/fair-processing-notice  

• The States of Jersey Police information sharing policy with the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service where a victim or witness of crime is a suspected immigration offender can be found here: https://www.jersey.police.je/s/sfsites/c/cms/delivery/media/MCG6E3KU45CBB CFCH63XVKZV7OMA  

Next Steps  

Abide by the policies' life cycle to review and update at an appropriate time.

Recommendation 55.1

Immigration officers should be trained to recognise the indicators of VAWG and factors that may escalate the risk to victims-survivors.

Owner  Jersey Customs and Immigration Service

Status  Complete

Key Developments

In April 2024, SafeLives, a leading UK organisation specialising in domestic abuse training, delivered training on the indicators of VAWG for immigration officers in Jersey.

Further training was delivered to Immigration Officers in October 2025 by a UK organisation called Alpha Vesta who specialise in domestic abuse training. The session was on the Strategies and Tactics of a Controlling and Coercive Perpetrator'. This training was delivered as part of the work to implement Recommendation 68 (see p.68).

Key Developments

The Jersey Customs and Immigration Service have confirmed that targeted enquiry procedures have been implemented within the service.

Key Developments

In April 2024, the Minister for Social Security (MSS) introduced 13-weeks of financial support through the income support benefit for victims of domestic abuse with less than 5-years residency. Applicants were not required to submit evidence of domestic abuse; however, they had to apply via a specialist support service such as FREEDA or JDAS. In August 2024, the MSS agreed to shorten the income support residency requirements for an agreed list of exceptional circumstances, including domestic

abuse, serious illness and death of a partner, to 3 years. Additionally, a broader residency exemption was introduced for victims of domestic abuse with children, allowing these individuals to qualify for support after just one year. For these exemptions, applicants are required to provide evidence of domestic abuse. The criteria in which evidence is interpreted is aligned with the standards used by JCIS in Indefinite Leave to Remain (Domestic Violence) applications. This policy has been in effect since September 2024.

Further information on the policy can be found here: https://www.gov.je/Government/Departments/JusticeHomeAffairs/Departments/Custo msImmigration/pages/migrantdomesticabuseconcession.aspx

Next Steps  

The Employment, Social Security and Housing Department (ESSH) continues to meet the recommendation. Following the previous progress report written guidance has been updated and issued. Work is ongoing on a joint agency Standard Operating Procedure. ESSH has established a direct officer liaison with relevant stakeholder groups, and this is fed back to policy officers and the Minister where appropriate. ESSH continues to actively support people in this area.

A definition of "immigration abuse" should be included within the Attorney General's guidance on the scope and application of the offence of domestic abuse.

Owner  Law Officers' Department

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The Attorney General's website contains a section relating to prosecution guidance. Within that is clear guidance on the Domestic Abuse (Jersey) Law 2022.

The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/guidance - and-directives/prosecution-guidance/domestic-abuse/  

Examples of the types of behaviour which can be considered domestic abuse are outlined within the guidance and specific reference is made to immigration abuse and situations which could be considered to be immigration abuse.

Recommendation 54.1

Key Developments

Jersey Customs and Immigration Service have revised the immigration decision letter templates to ensure the rationale is clearly explained, with clear signposting to guidance on accessing both the appeals and complaints processes included.

Key Developments

The "Immigration legislation, rules and feedback" page on the government website has been updated to include a feedback and complaints link, in addition to the existing explanation regarding the route to appeal immigration decisions. The webpage can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/LifeEvents/CitizenshipSettlingInJersey/SettlementInJersey/pages/i mmigrationlegislation.aspx  

Recommendation 56

Key Developments

The UK Guidance on evidential levels for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) (Domestic Violence (DV)) applications was last updated in November 2025. JCIS will remain aligned to the UK guidance to ensure consistency across the common travel area (CTA) regarding granting of ILR. JCIS delivered a presentation to the Jersey Domestic Abuse Support (JDAS) service in May 2024 on ILR (DV) Guidance.

Key Developments

The JCIS Work Permit Policy guidance has been updated in relation to employer and employee responsibilities. The Work Permit policy can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/Working/WorkPermits/pages/workpermitpolicy.aspx

Recommendation 58

Legal aid provision should be made available to migrant workers who face employment-based discrimination and/or abuse.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  No Further Action

Key Developments

As the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal is free and accessible to migrant workers and is designed so that legal support is not required, and other citizens in

Jersey are not eligible for legal aid for employment disputes, it was determined that the introduction of legal aid for migrant workers was not necessary as the spirit of the recommendation was to align the rights of migrant workers with that of other citizens.

Supporting Victims and Survivors

Supporting victims and survivors

Overview

Recommendations 4.2 and 61

Key Developments

A Task and Finish Group under the Building a Safer Community (BASC) Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership has been established to undertake a training needs provision and gap analysis.  

The group has produced a map of the existing training provision on domestic abuse and sexual harms that is taking place in statutory services.

Next Steps  

• The group will hold a series of workshops with community and third sector services to map training provision on domestic abuse and sexual harms for their services.  

• The findings of the training needs and gap analysis will be used to inform and coordinate any further training required on domestic abuse and sexual harms for both the public and third sector.

Recommendations 5 and 12

Key Developments

The specialist economic and technology-facilitated abuse team from Refuge UK has been commissioned by the Government of Jersey to deliver a specialised package of training for a range of statutory, specialist and community services.

The purpose of this training is to build professional awareness and understanding of economic and technology-facilitated abuse in order to strengthen the capacity of our service provides to respond sensitively and effectively to these forms of abuse.

Delivery of this training began in September 2025 and is scheduled to run until September 2027.  

Recommendation 7.3

Dedicated support for rough sleepers should be introduced in Parade Gardens. Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  No Further Action

Key Developments  

In accordance with the Minister for Justice & Home Affairs' response in March 2024[22], officers have engaged with the Shelter Trust to better understand this issue. Though no immediate solution is apparent, officers have ensured that the relationship between homelessness and VAWG is considered throughout the implementation of all relevant recommendations.

Recommendation 7.4

Better street lighting should be introduced in the Snow Hill area. Owner  Infrastructure and Environment Status  Not Started

Anticipated Deadline

Key Developments

The Infrastructure and Environment Department agreed, in principle, to advance lighting improvements at Snow Hill. However, as no dedicated funding was allocated, progression is dependent on departmental prioritisation within existing resource constraints.

I&E's street-lighting budget has primarily been directed toward the capital replacement of the Island's ageing street-lighting and zebra-crossing assets, prioritised based on asset condition. This has been alongside the ongoing maintenance requirements associated with the tunnel lighting system.

In addition, the Public Realm improvement budget was reduced in 2025, preventing any contributions from that part of the department, whose remaining resources are focused on Town Core projects.

Next Steps  

I&E plans to progress the replacement of the Snow Hill Car Park lighting system in 2027. As part of this project, the potential to extend improvements through to the wider Snow Hill area will be explored. However, additional funding may be required to deliver enhancements between the car park and Hill Street.

At this stage, no definitive timescale can be set, as delivery is dependent on internal prioritisation, existing budget constraints, and the availability of contractors. Lighting improvements for Snow Hill Car Park will, however, be programmed for delivery in 2027.

Recommendation 13

The Government of Jersey should provide and maintain accessible information for citizens in Jersey about online and tech-facilitated VAWG.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete (Ongoing)

Key Developments

Information and guidance on online and technology-facilitated abuse was published on the government website in September 2024.

Guidance on a range of other issues relating to protecting yourself and family online can be found here: https://www.gov.je/StayingSafe/BeSafeOnline/ProtectingYourselfAndFamilyOnline/Pag es/index.aspx  

Next Steps  

This guidance is currently unavailable as it is being reviewed and updated to reflect the latest developments in this area. The guidance will be re-published in due course.

Recommendation 19.1

Structure and staffing of IDVAs should be reviewed to ensure the service is adequately resourced to support victim-survivors in line with best practice.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete

Key Developments

Officers undertook initial work to engage with the Jersey Domestic Abuse Support service (JDAS), the statutory Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (IDVA) service for Jersey, to understand the issues facing the service and how they may be able to be resolved in line with best practice standards, whilst taking into account the unique context of providing this support in Jersey.  

The Service Manager of JDAS then produced a detailed report for the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs on:  

• Operational and resource pressures

• Issues that impact on victim-survivors

• Impact of the VAWG Taskforce workstream on the service to date

• Likely impact of the incoming VAWG legislation  

The report highlighted that all JDAS practitioners currently have an average case load of 35 clients. This is above the current recommended national average of 25 clients per practitioner.

Long waiting lists for specialist therapeutic support in Jersey were found to be placing the service under significant pressure. Although long-term specialist counselling and therapeutic support sits out the scope of JDAS service provision, it was found that the service has been left to provide long-term emotional support to many victim-survivors who have been unable to access the necessary therapeutic support via statutory

mental health services.  

A variety of other resource needs relating business support, additional support practitioner roles, team management, training and data analysis were also identified.

Next Steps

• Options to address the long waiting lists for specialist therapeutic support will be explored as part of the work to implement recommendation 60 (see p.64)

• The additional resources that are required by the JDAS service will be presented to the new government for consideration.

Recommendation 19.2

Service offer and publicity of the IDVA service should be reviewed to ensure victim - survivors understand the support provisions that are available.

Owner  Jersey Domestic and Sexual Abuse Support

Status  In Progress

Anticipated Deadline  January 2027

Key Developments Externally:

• Social media forums for Victim Services have been developed and promoted.

• Attendance at events to promote the service, e.g., Pride, Highlands Fresher's Fayre.  

• Investment in promotional merchandise for all ages, which has been widely distributed amongst professional partners.

• An information booklet is being developed to inform victim-survivors of the service provision, the criminal justice process, and other support available. This will be widely distributed when completed.

Internally:

• Review of the existing website has been commenced to ensure appropriate and up to date information is available to victim-survivors.

• Updated service provision information internally is being finalised, to make sure government staff are aware of referral pathway into the service.

• Internal staff awareness training regarding the dynamics of domestic and sexual abuse, to recognise and respond to concerns.

Next Steps  

• Further development of the existing website, to include more accessibility and inclusive measures.  

• Promotion of the service at more public events.

Recommendation 47

Key Developments

Training on the connection between animal abuse and domestic abuse was provided by an organisation called Links Group in September 2025. 58 members of veterinary staff attended alongside an addition 30+ staff who attended the online training sessions. Further engagement with this sector will be undertaken via the BASC Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership (see the "Moving Forward" section for more information on p.91).

Recommendation 59

Key Developments

In November 2024, a review of follow-on accommodation for victim-survivors, was published and with its conclusions accepted by the Minister for Housing.

Over the course of 2025, the Minister for Housing continued to implement the actions set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) housing policy response. Progress has been made across all three areas of focus:

1. Evidence – Strengthening understanding of housing needs amongst victim-survivors

Data on homelessness amongst victim survivors is collected and published on a quarterly basis in the Homelessness in Jersey Report. This includes information from the Housing Advice Service as well as homelessness accommodation providers.  

The report shows that being at risk of, having experienced or escaping domestic abuse has consistently been one of the main recorded reason for homelessness amongst women.

This evidence is now directly informing policy and operational decision-making to ensure housing services better respond to the needs of victim-survivors.

2. Support – Improving housing advice and support for victim-survivors

The Housing Advice Service continues to work closely with FREEDA and the Shelter Trust to provide coordinated support for victim-survivors.

As part of this, the Service delivers regular drop-in sessions at the FREEDA safe house, offering accessible guidance on housing options and helping victim-survivors plan moves to suitable alternative accommodation. This partnership approach is improving pathways into safe and sustainable housing.

3. Provide – Increasing access to suitable homes for victim-survivors

In December 2025, the Minister amended the eligibility criteria for social housing by removing restrictions related to hardship cases. As a result, individuals granted Entitled status on hardship grounds are now able to access social housing.

This change, which was developed in consultation with the Homelessness Cluster, is intended to improve access to stable, secure housing for victim-survivors.

Next Steps  

• Work will continue to strengthen referral pathways and enhance joint-working arrangements across all partner agencies to ensure that victim-survivors can access the housing and support they need promptly and effectively.

• The Homelessness Cluster will maintain oversight of demand for follow-on accommodation for victim-survivors, ensuring that provision is regularly reviewed and aligned with emerging need.

• The recently established Social Housing Providers Forum will provide a platform for providers to review policies and procedures and develop approaches to supporting tenants who are victim-survivors of domestic abuse.

Recommendation 60

Key Developments

A report on the structure, staffing and resourcing of the Jersey Domestic Abuse Support (JDAS) service identified that long waiting lists for specialist therapeutic provision was creating a significant strain on the service.

Officer discussions relating to the impact of the VAWG workstream and the impact of the incoming VAWG legislation on the criminal justice system also identified a need for additional therapeutic provision for victim-survivors.

Next Steps  

A case for additional therapeutic support provision will be proposed for inclusion in the Government Budget 2027-2030 consideration of requirements relating to the incoming VAWG legislation.

Recommendation 63

The Government of Jersey should consider investing into the establishment of an online support provision for victim-survivors.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  No further action

Key Developments

Officers developed an options appraisal for the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs which considered a range of options for introducing an online support provision for victim-survivors in Jersey. In developing the options appraisal, officers met with a range of support services to understand the demand for, and feasibility of, a form of online support provision. Officers were advised that support services had previously offered online support provision, however this provision was removed due to a low uptake and increased demands on staff.

A cost-benefit analysis for the introduction of an online form of support provision found that the costs, such as further demand on specialist support services and the development of new software, significantly outweighed the benefits of introducing this form of support. It was felt that the resources required to implement this recommendation could be more usefully diverted to the resourcing of specialist support services instead.

Recommendation 71

Key Developments

A significant investment and a fresh approach saw the Clare's Law campaign well publicised, internally and externally in 2024. The Force's Public Protection Unit and partners such as the Jersey Domestic and Sexual Abuse Service continue to meet regularly to review relevant cases and consider proactive disclosures to enhance victim safety. The numbers of people exercising their right to ask has increased significantly.

Recommendation 7.2

A stronger police presence should be introduced in Cheapside, Parade Gardens, Belmont Road area, and the Snow Hill area.

Owner  States of Jersey Police

Status  Complete

Key Developments

The areas stated, Cheapside, Parade Gardens, Belmont Road area and Snow Hill area, were indicated at a snapshot in time and have seen Community Policing engagement since then to engage people and understand more about the area.

Pro-active high visibility patrols in hotspots during key times with engagement of community leaders, business owners and licensed premises are part of the Force's normal operating mode.  

The Community Policing Team lead problem solving cases, work to prevent crime and engage local communities to prevent and detect crime. The Operation Visible nighttime economy policing initiative has been modernised, and staff briefed on indicators of predatory behaviour and vulnerability to intervene early, prevent crime and identify potential perpetrators.

Recommendation 53

Key Developments

Officers are in the process of developing a Migrant Safeguarding Group under the Building a Safer Community Framework.  

Next Steps  

This group will work with representatives from minority communities to determine whether additional independent advocacy services are needed for these purposes.

Responding to Perpetrators

Responding to perpetrators

Overview

No.  Recommendation  Category  Status

68  Introduce perpetrator management training for  Prevention  Complete

public services  

69  Assess Building Health Relationships  Response  In Progress

programme for RESPECT accreditation

PREVENTION

Responding to Perpetrators  

Recommendation 68

Key public services such as housing, health, education and social security should be provided with in-depth and regular training on how to identify and respond to perpetrators of VAWG.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete

Key Developments

A specialist training provider called Alpha Vesta were commissioned to deliver domestic abuse perpetrator awareness training for a range of public services in October 2025. The training covered the following areas:

• Recognising the signs of domestic abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour.

• Specific strategies perpetrators of domestic abuse and/or controlling and coercive behaviour typically used to undermine a victim's mental, financial and emotional stability.  

• Ways in which perpetrators may manipulate professionals and practitioners.  

• Giving professionals the confidence and skills to respond to cases that they suspect might involve domestic abuse and/or controlling and coercive behaviour.

To ensure the knowledge and understanding gained from this training remains within services, the training was delivered via a "train the trainer" model so that professionals could go onto disseminate their learnings across their various services following completion of the training.  

Responding to Perpetrators  

Recommendation 69

Jersey Domestic Abuse Programme should be assessed for Respect Accreditation. Owner  Probation and Aftercare Service

Status  In Progress

Anticipated deadline  Q2 2027

Key Developments

The Jersey Domestic Abuse Programme was replaced by the Building Healthy Relationships Programme in 2024. The programme represents an important step towards addressing domestic abuse through perpetrator-focused interventions. However, recent work to scope out the feasibility of achieving Respect Accreditation has highlighted that accreditation alone will not be sufficient to produce meaningful and lasting change for both perpetrators of domestic abuse and victim-survivors.

A benchmarking analysis against Respect standards has been undertaken but further work to coordinate the response to perpetrators of domestic abuse in Jersey would be a more effective and impactful use of resources. In particular, officers have identified the following areas as requiring further work:  

• Improvements to information sharing: the effectiveness of domestic abuse interventions, such as the Building Healthy Relationships programme, rely on professionals having a shared understanding of risk and taking collective action to mitigate that risk.  

• Safe practice: it is important to ensure that professionals are appropriately trained and empowered to respond to cases of domestic abuse so that they are not only aware of the risks associated with domestic abuse, but also respond in ways that do not escalate that risk.

• Multi-agency collaboration: practice would be significantly improved by establishing regular and structured information-sharing forums across agencies. For domestic abuse interventions to be effective, it is crucial that perpetrators are held accountable for their behaviour. Consistent, multi-agency information sharing is therefore essential to identify risks, and ensure that interventions are based on accurate and comprehensive information.

Next Steps

• Await findings of MARAC[23] Review in Q2 2026 to inform next steps.  

Responding to Perpetrators  

• Consider establishing a BASC Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Task and Finish Group to take this work forward.  

• An information sharing protocol with JDAS has been drafted and is awaiting approval. The intention is to promote lawful and proportionate information sharing between agencies working with perpetrators and victims.

Awareness

Awareness

Overview

Awareness  

Recommendations 7.1 and 75

Key Developments

In December 2024, the It's Not Okay' campaign against street harassment was launched, with a focus on 16- to 25-year-old men and boys, targeted via social media and posters distributed throughout schools. The aim was for people to learn about

street harassment, how to stop it and where to report it or get support. More information on the campaign can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/StayingSafe/HomePersonal/EMybYS/Pages/NA6uLe.aspx

VAWG Guidance for Schools has been developed with the engagement of men and boys in mind. The guidance provides advice and support for teachers on how to engage young men and boys in violence prevention without making them feel alienated or negatively targeted. The VAWG Guidance for Schools can be accessed here: https://www.gov.je/SiteCollectionDocuments/Education/VAWG%20Guidance%20for% 20schools.pdf  

The engagement of men and boys remains a central aspect of work to address domestic abuse and sexual harms in Jersey.

Recommendation 9.2

Key Developments

In July 2024, Safeguarding Partnership Jersey published updated guidance on the mandatory reporting requirements relating to female genital mutilation (FGM) for health professionals. The guidance can be accessed here: https://jerseyscp.trixonline.co.uk/chapter/female-genital-mutilation#introduction  

Awareness  

Recommendation 73

An ongoing and comprehensive campaign to boost awareness and change communities around VAWG issues should be introduced.

Owner  Justice and Home Affairs

Status  Complete