Government Push to Inform Victims of Their Rights: What It Means for ASB Support
The UK government has announced a new drive to ensure victims are fully informed of their rights, with a focus on improving the response to anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crime-related distress. This initiative aims to strengthen victim confidence in the justice system by ensuring they understand the support available to them and the actions that can be taken against perpetrators.
For many victims, ASB is not just an inconvenience, it can be deeply damaging to their health, wellbeing, and quality of life. While statutory services such as the police, local authorities, and victim support organisations have a duty to respond, there is growing recognition that victims often feel lost in the system or unaware of what steps they can take when ASB impacts their lives.
The government’s announcement is a welcome step forward in strengthening victim rights, but in some areas, dedicated teams have already embedded this approach. One such team is Solace in Gloucestershire, a multi-agency partnership tackling ASB, which has long championed a victim-first approach. We spoke with Katie Mellon and Sam Higginson, Team Leaders at Solace, about how their work aligns with this national effort and what more needs to be done.
The Government’s Push for Greater Awareness
The core aim of the government’s new initiative is to ensure that victims fully understand their rights and the options available to them when dealing with ASB. This includes:
- Raising awareness of the ASB Case Review (formerly known as the Community Trigger), which allows victims to request a formal case review if they feel their complaints have not been properly addressed.
- Encouraging better communication from agencies, ensuring victims are informed at every stage of an investigation.
- Strengthening the victim support network by promoting the role of partnerships and victim services that can provide assistance.
This move is in line with a broader government strategy to prioritise victims’ voices and ensure they are not left navigating a complex system alone.
How Solace in Gloucestershire Aligns with This Approach
Solace was established in 2015 as a partnership between Gloucestershire Police, Gloucester City Council, and Cheltenham Borough Council, specifically to ensure no victim of ASB is overlooked. Their multi-agency approach allows for better information sharing, faster interventions, and a focus on the victim’s experience rather than institutional constraints.
According to Mellon and Higginson, a victim-first approach is essential to tackling ASB effectively:
“We work with people using a victim-focused model—this means seeing the situation from their reality and experiences, not through the lens of professionals’ assumptions. This is key to achieving a true risk grading and ensuring the right action is taken.”
They highlight that in many cases, agencies may dismiss certain behaviours as ‘low-level’ ASB, failing to appreciate the profound impact on victims. By taking a zero-barrier approach, Solace ensures that action is taken swiftly where needed, rather than allowing issues to escalate.
What This Means for ASB Professionals
One of the key challenges the government initiative seeks to address is ensuring agencies do not see ASB enforcement as a last resort. Mellon and Higginson urge professionals in the field to rethink their approach:
“There is a misconception that civil enforcement tools – such as ASB injunctions -should only be used as a last resort. In reality, the legislation is clear: their purpose is to prevent escalation. These tools should be used early, before issues spiral out of control.”
This aligns with the government’s emphasis on early intervention and victim awareness. If victims know their rights and professionals take proactive steps, the cycle of persistent ASB can be broken.
The Impact of Proactive ASB Enforcement
In 2024, Solace secured 133 ASB injunctions and successfully closed 30 properties due to ASB-related issues. The impact of these actions has been twofold:
- A significant reduction in repeat victims, helping those affected regain a sense of safety and stability.
- Decreased emergency service demand, as early interventions prevent ASB from escalating into more serious criminality.
This mirrors the government’s goal of making ASB responses more effective and victim-centred nationwide.
What This Means For Victims, and ASB Professionals
For victims, the government’s announcement should serve as a reminder that they have rights and support is available. The ASB Case Review process is a vital tool for ensuring that repeated issues are addressed, and victims should not hesitate to demand action if they feel their concerns are being overlooked.
For ASB professionals, Mellon and Higginson stress the importance of putting the victim’s wellbeing first:
“A victim’s right to a peaceful life should come above everything else. There should be no barriers stopping enforcement from being pursued where necessary. Support and engagement can continue alongside enforcement—it’s not an ‘either/or’ approach.”
The government’s push to better inform victims of their rights is a step in the right direction, but real change will come when all agencies adopt a victim-first mindset. As Solace’s work in Gloucestershire demonstrates, a proactive, multi-agency approach can deliver real results – reducing ASB, preventing escalation, and most importantly, ensuring that victims are never left to suffer in silence.
To find out more about the work undertaken by the team at Solace, visit their website. If your organisation needs support with the ASB Case Review then get in touch to see how we can help you here at Green & Burton Associates.