Criminal law information

This guide is designed to give you information about criminal investigations and the police.

This legal guide sets out information about what happens once the perpetrator has been charged with a criminal offence.

This guide aims to help survivors understand what happens when an abuser is found guilty of an offence. It will also outline the range of sentences that are available for particular offences
and the factors the court may consider when imposing a sentence. The way in which the offender is held to account is called the sentence.

This legal guide will give you information about the practical steps the criminal and family courts can take to help you attend court and give evidence if you are a victim of domestic abuse or sexual violence.

This guide explores the options for survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence where the police or CPS do not charge the abuser with an offence.

This guide is designed to give you information about your right to request a review of certain decisions made by the police or Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

If you have experienced a violent crime you may be eligible to apply for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012. This legal guide is designed to give you information about criminal injuries compensation, who can apply for it and how.

If you are unhappy with the way the police or CPS have behaved towards you or handled your case then you can put in a complaint. This legal guide explains your options.

This handbook will explain the different stages of the legal process, from the point of deciding whether to report the incident to the police, through to the trial, the outcome of the trial and sentence. From Report to Court also sets out the relevant law and what obligations the different agencies in the criminal justice system have to survivors.

This guide summarises some of your rights and what you should expect from the criminal justice system as a survivor of sexual violence.

This legal guide is designed to give information about two offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (the SOA 2003): rape and assault by penetration.

This information sheet is designed to give information about two offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (the SOA 2003): sexual assault and causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent.

If you have experienced any form of discrimination, harassment or sexual violence (“misconduct”) on campus or while at university, your immediate response will probably be determined by the type of misconduct. In the immediate aftermath, consider seeking medical help and reporting to the police.

It is a criminal offence in England and Wales for someone to harass you or put you in fear of violence. This legal guide is designed to give information about the ways in which the law can protect you.

It is a criminal offence in England and Wales for someone to abuse you through the internet or social media. It is also a crime for someone to share private sexual photographs or films of you with other people, to cause you distress. This legal guide is designed to give you information about the ways in which the law can protect you.

Female genital mutilation is a crime in the United Kingdom. It is a form of violence against women and girls. It causes long lasting physical and psychological harm. This guide will explain how the law can support you.

This legal guide is for anyone who wants to know about the legal options available to young people experiencing particular forms of violence, including domestic violence, sexual violence and specifically, peer-on-peer abuse.

If you have experienced any form of discrimination, harassment or sexual violence (“misconduct”) on campus or while at university, your immediate response will probably be determined by the type of misconduct. In the immediate aftermath, consider seeking medical help and reporting to the police.