HMIC expresses serious concerns over why so many victims felt unable to approach the police with allegations against Jimmy Savile during his lifetime.
HMIC expresses serious concerns over why so many victims felt unable to approach the police with allegations against Jimmy Savile during his lifetime.
HMIC’s review of allegations made against Jimmy Savile during his lifetime finds mistakes were made by the police; and while policies and practices designed to improve the experience of child victims are now available, we raise serious concerns over why so many victims felt unable to come forward and report what had happened to the authorities.
HM Inspector of Constabulary, Drusilla Sharpling, said:
“The findings in this report are of deep concern, and clearly there were mistakes in how the police handled the allegations made against Savile during his lifetime. However, an equally profound problem is that victims felt unable to come forward and report crimes of sexual abuse. It is imperative that all those charged with protecting these victims do more to encourage reporting, taking the right action to bring perpetrators to justice. We welcome the new measures announced recently by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Association of Chief Police Officers. But more needs to be done, and it is neither enough nor correct to say ‘This couldn’t happen now’.”
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Tom Winsor, said:
“It is imperative that children and other victims of sexual crimes have the knowledge, the means and the confidence to report what has happened to them. HMIC’s report identifies policies and practices which the police must reassess and improve in order to be better able to deal with historical allegations, and to keep our children safe. Building on this examination of Savile, HMIC’s programme for 2013/14 will take this work deeper and wider.”