The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has set out its views in response to a Ministry of Justice consultation looking at possible changes to the scope and time limits for claims to the CICS. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has recommended online child sexual abuse be something that victims and survivors of abuse can claim for through the CICS.
“Widening the scope would ensure the survivors of serious offences like online grooming and child sexual abuse that occurs online can turn to the scheme to help them get their lives back on track,” said Kim Harrison, vice president of APIL. “To qualify currently, the crime must involve physical violence, but the focus should be on whether the crime caused harm. We would like to see the word ‘violence’ removed from the definition of a qualifying crime.”