The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today paid tribute to Claire Waxman OBE for her exceptional service to the capital as she steps down as London’s independent Victims Commissioner after more than eight years in the role.
Claire is leaving City Hall to take up a new position as the National Victims Commissioner.
As part of his commitment to putting victims at the heart of all of City Hall’s work on policing and crime, Sadiq appointed Claire as London’s first Victims' Commissioner in 2017. Since then she has established the role as a driving force in improving the service provided victims of crime in the city and ensuring that their voices are heard at every level of the criminal justice system.
In her time at City Hall, Claire’s work has not only improved the victim experience in London, but has also directly impacted change at a national level. This includes the publication of two rape reviews, which led to the development of Operation Soteria - a national operation to transform how the police and criminal justice system address rape and serious sexual offences, which subsequently led to an increase in charges for rape and serious sexual offences compared to the last year.
Her review into the Victims Code of Practice led to the Government reforming the Victims Code in 2021. Claire has also lobbied for key legislative change through the Domestic Abuse Bill, Policing Bill, and Victims and Prisoners Bill, and called for radical change in handling victims mobile phone data and sensitive information.
As London’s Victims Commissioner, Claire has shown the importance of speaking directly with victims and families about their experiences of the criminal justice system. By listening to the challenges they have faced and working directly with them, Claire successfully lobbied for criminals to have to attend sentencing hearings. This was included in the Government’s Victims and Court Bill earlier this year.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I want to thank Claire Waxman for her tireless work in support of victims of crime in London over the last eight years, and her relentless commitment which has brought significant changes in the capital and across the country.
“Her work directly led to the development of Operation Soteria which is transforming the way police and the CPS investigate and prosecute rape. She has championed the causes of bereaved families and survivors of crime, securing key changes to Parliamentary Bills ensuring offenders must attend sentencings or face consequences, and that victims receive better access to sentencing remarks and improved rights and entitlements.
“Claire has always been clear that all victims of crime, no matter their status or experience, should be able to engage with a service designed to help them cope and recover. I know that in her new role, she will continue the vital work she has done in London to build a criminal justice system that is fit for purpose and provide victims with the highest quality of support.”
Notes to editors
Recruitment for Claire's successor will begin shortly, with the post advertised for applications on www.london.gov.uk.
During her time as London’s Victims Commissioner, Claire Waxman OBE has:
- Convened three London Victims’ Summits, bringing together national and international senior leaders from all justice agencies, voluntary and community groups, local councils, and victims of crime, to galvanise a partnership effort to improve victims’ experiences of navigating the justice system and support options post incident.
- Hosted a number of roundtables, including for male victims, Black victims, and victims of violence against women and girls, to hear directly from victims and survivors about their experiences in accessing support and navigating the criminal justice system and family justice system, with a view to develop policy proposals. These roundtables have been attended by senior leaders within the Metropolitan Police, and directly influenced the Mayor’s VAWG strategy, Casey Review, legislative and policy changes.
- Published the London Victims Attrition review which highlighted a national failure to deliver justice for victims, with 40% dropping out of the process after reporting with many feeling forced out. Claire put forward a number of recommendations including calling on Government and justice agencies to transform the criminal justice system’s response to victims so they receive the service they need to remain engaged in the lengthy process of seeking justice.
- Published the first ever London Stalking Review that revealed that two thirds of stalking offences are being carried out by repeat offenders, with a crucial lack of intervention from the criminal justice system leading to a failure to stop perpetrators reoffending.
- Listened to victims and families and lobbying for key changes to Parliamentary Bills – including the Domestic Abuse Act; Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act; Victims and Prisoners Act; and the current Crime and Policing Bill, and Victims and Courts Bill. Claire has worked closely with central Government, Members of Parliament, and Peers, to amplify and gain support for her calls including stalking legislation, better safeguards for victims’ personal data, changes to Home Detention Curfew, and improved rights and entitlements for victims.
- Spearheaded campaigns alongside victims and survivors, which have seen meaningful changes to Government policy and national legislation, including the provision of free sentencing remark transcripts for rape and sexual offence victims (Open Justice for All), and the compelling of offenders to attend sentencing hearings (Face the Families).
- Held the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and senior leadership team to account, through ensuring that victims are kept at the heart of all discussions through her role on the new London Policing Board.
- Conducted two Rape Reviews and making a number of impactful recommendations, which led to the development of Operation Soteria, a nation-wide programme aiming to use evidence and new insights to enable forces to transform their response to rape and serious sexual offences.
- Formed and co-chaired the Victims Reference Group, for ongoing engagement with victim support organisations to inform the development of policy, change in practice, and the work of the Victims Board and London Policing Board.
- Worked closely with Government departments, HMCTS, the judiciary, CPS, Criminal Bar Association, and victims’ organisations to address the Crown Court backlogs and ensure victims are supported.
- Worked closely with the Metropolitan Police Service, to influence and help improve their response to victims, and supporting them as they work to reform their victim care programmes in order to meet the recommendations made in the Casey Review. This included the establishment of their Victim Care Improvement Team, the development of a Victim Information Leaflet, the establishing of Victim Voice Forums where the police hear directly from victims, and an additional £3m per year of Mayoral funding for Victim Focus Desks.
- Worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and Ministry of Justice to develop their key victim policies, and providing insight for their staff into the victim experience and their role in supporting victims
- Improved the awareness and use of Victim Personal Statements, to ensure victims and bereaved families are given the opportunity to explain, in their own words, the impact that a crime has had upon them and their families, and to ensure these accounts are taken into consideration during charging and sentencing decisions by all criminal justice agencies.
- Chaired the London Victims Board, comprising of justice agencies and statutory partners. The Board supports the delivery of commitments set out in the Mayor of London’s Police and Crime Plan and provides the opportunity for the victims’ voice to be at the centre of decision making.
- Forging new international relationships for London, including with Governments, officials, and Victims’ Commissioners of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Western Australia, New York, Sweden, and Quebec.