At the start of this year, South Korea’s double Olympic short track speed skating gold medallist Shim Suk-hee alleged that she had been raped and sexually molested on multiple occasions by her former national coach, Cho Jae-beom. Cho is now serving a 10 month prison sentence for physically assaulting Shim and other athletes, but denies sexually assaulting Shim. The allegations have, however, led to other South Korean female athletes in judo, taekwondo, football and wrestling coming forward with allegations that they have also been raped or assaulted by their coaches. As a result, Continue reading
Author Archives: BLM
Safeguarding in Schools and IICSA
This is a huge investigation with many issues to consider. IICSA held a preliminary hearing recently which highlighted how wide a topic this is and the challenges IICSA faces in ensuring a proportionate investigation which still ensures all issues have been addressed.
Is the Justice System failing victims of sexual crime and abuse?
The Ministry of Justice is today being asked to review how the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) handles applications by victims of violent and sexual crime. Baroness Newlove, the Government’s Victims’ Commissioner, has called for the review after finding that many victims who applied for financial support from the Authority were being re-traumatised and alienated by the system. After interviewing over 200 victims and support services, the Commissioner found applicants are being re-traumatised by the need to repeat details of the crimes against them including dates, times and locations, which have to be included on the application form and during various other steps in the process. The process comes into criticism as the CCIA is obliged to obtain reports and the victims’ witness statement from the police, where all of the details needed to complete the application are already available. Continue reading
Challenges of adult social care
On the 9 January 2019 Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a very damning report on the state of adult social care services for older people in England. This is the first time that HRW has investigated the welfare system in the UK. This report follows on from last year’s investigation by the United Nations into extreme poverty in the UK, which concluded that the Government was failing its people due to its austerity policies. Continue reading
Aged Care, Quality & Service
The Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has opened with a preliminary hearing in Adelaide this morning.
The Australian National Redress Scheme and the Roman Catholic Church
Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse found in the six decades since 1950 seven percent of Australia’s Catholic priests were accused of abusing children and up to 15 percent of priests in some dioceses were alleged perpetrators. Continue reading
Code of Practice for Out of School settings
On 2 December, 2018 the Department for Education (DfE) launched an open consultation the aim of which is to write a draft code of practice on safeguarding in out-of-school settings with accompanying guidance for parents.
