Open letter to Norfolk voters and Police Crime Commissioner candidates

Norfolk Community Law Service is amongst six charities to have signed this open letter to all of the Police Crime Commissioner candidates ahead of this week’s elections.


As organisations working alongside children, young people, adults and families affected by sexual violence and domestic abuse, we are writing together ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner election on the 16th July 2026 to ask voters to place victims, survivors and the pursuit of perpetrators at the heart of the choice they make.


Norfolk has shown important leadership in recognising the harm caused by domestic abuse and sexual violence. That leadership matters. We believe the leadership Norfolk has shown can be expanded and strengthened, as we also recognise there is still a fair way to go.


The scale of need is stark. Around one in twelve people are estimated to have been victims of sexual abuse, rape or sexual violence in Norfolk at some point in their lives. That means around 78,000 people may be living with the impact of this harm, while our commissioned specialist support collectively in Norfolk in any one year for victims of sexual violence is around 1,000 people.

Demand is continuing to rise. Norfolk Community Law Service reported a 9% increase in clients coming forward for support where domestic abuse was involved during 2025/26. Leeway supported 14,551 people in the same period; 2,014 of which were children and Daisy Programme reporting a 46% increase in referrals since the beginning of April 26.

Across our services we see, every day, the impact of rape, sexual abuse, coercive control and domestic abuse on mental health, physical health, relationships, education, employment, housing and family life.

Specialist support changes lives. One survivor who had accessed Leeway support said: “… you completely changed our lives. You set us up on this incredible journey to freedom and happiness. I can’t remember a time in my life where I’ve ever felt so secure and strong in myself.”

We ask voters to test Police and Crime Commissioner candidates against the following commitments:

Prioritise independent, specialist support for victims and survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse, with sustainable funding that reflects the scale of need.

Create an environment where victims and survivors feel trusted and believed enough to come forward, and that when they do, the response they receive supports safety, confidence and effective prosecutions.

Campaign relentlessly for changes in the legal aid system so domestic abuse victims get a fair hearing in courts.

Recognise in commissioning that the trauma of sexual violence and domestic abuse often leads to further harm downstream, including poorer health, homelessness, substance misuse, unemployment, family breakdown and contact with the criminal justice system. Investment in specialist support is preventative, not reactive.

Publicly challenge misinformation around domestic abuse and sexual violence,especially the reality that around 90% of perpetrators are known to their victims.


Choosing a Police and Crime Commissioner is not only about visible policing. It is also about whether Norfolk has a serious, evidence led response to crimes that are often hidden in homes, relationships, institutions and online spaces, and whether perpetrators are pursued with consistency and ambition.

When survivors, children and families cannot access timely support, the impact is felt across health services, social care, education, housing, criminal justice agencies and employers. The question is not whether Norfolk can afford to invest in specialist support and perpetrator accountability. The question is whether we can afford the human, social and economic costs of failing to do so.

Together we can continue to make Norfolk a county where survivors are believed and supported, where children are safer, where families can recover, and where perpetrators are held to account.

Signed
Clive Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Sue Lambert Trust


Jools Ramsey-Palmer
Chief Executive Officer
Leeway Domestic Violence and Abuse Services

David Powles
Chief Executive Officer
Norfolk Community Law Service

Kate Grimwood
Operations Manager
Brave Futures

Kate Biles
Programme Director
The Daisy Programme

Deborah Regan
Project Manager
One to One Project

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