As Parliament gears up to debate sweeping court reforms, Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE has issued a stark warning: justice delayed to 2030 is pushing victims to the breaking point.
Justice System on the Brink
In a heartfelt open letter to MPs, Claire Waxman begged lawmakers to keep victims front and centre during the upcoming Second Reading of the Courts and Tribunals Bill on 10 March. She slammed the crushing backlog of over 80,000 cases, with trials for rape and domestic abuse victims pushed back for years — some as far as 2030.
More than 30 female Labour MPs have also urged Justice Secretary David Lammy to double down on modernising the court system, warning the current delays are failing women and girls desperately seeking justice.
Real Human Toll of Court Delays
Waxman pulled no punches, highlighting the “human cost” behind the statistics. Victims are losing jobs, suffering severe mental health decline, and some have even attempted suicide while waiting for their day in court.
MPs face a clear choice: listen to victims and act fast, or condemn many to years more of trauma, uncertainty, and denied
