I still have not heard from the police
Same story as yesterday. Again, the assault was on Friday, which is when I reported the crime and was assured that the investigating officer would be in touch very soon, as time is of the essence in these things, they wanted the picture I took, etc.
I did, though, receive a letter from Camden Victim Support. Apparently all victims of crime automatically have their details passed to VS, which I am not totally happy about, as I was given no choice in the matter of whether the details of my assault would be passed on to this organisation. (It is an independent charity, not an extension of the police, so I definitely consider the disclosure of my details to such a group to be a violation of my privacy. It should be up to me to decide who gets chapter and verse about what happened to me - let alone my home address and phone number - should it not?)
Impatient with not hearing anything from the police, and not having been given any way to get in touch with anyone regarding my case, I called Camden Victim Support to ask them how I could get things moving. The friendly woman I spoke to on the phone said she had no idea, and was too busy to find out for me just then, but would try to call me back tomorrow.
Filed under: Law, Life, Politics, Survival, The State Is Not Your Friend
For a private company to do that would indeed be in breach of the Data Protection Act, yes. Doesn’t apply to government, for some reason.
I guess you’ll be classed as minor assault victim since you didn’t end up in hospital or raped. Anyway it is a bit strange about victim support getting your personal info, if you want to persue it I’d contact the Data Protection Registrar in Wilmslow.
Honestly, I’m not trying to complain about every aspect of the way this is being handled (or, rather, not handled), but I find it shocking that the police just passed on my personal information without my permission. I’ve got a lot on right now, so it’s not a high priority for me to be getting myself even more deeply entrenched in annoying bureaucracy, but on the other hand it seems too objectionable to let pass.
They aren’t allowed to without permission. The Police Officer in charge should have said to yoi:
“Victim Support is an independent charity which can offer you help. We recommend their services, and it is force policy to refer your details to them unless you ask us not to.”
If he didn’t, as it seems, you obviously have strong grounds for a complaint if you can be bothered.
http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/cjsba_statuspage_victim_referral_agreement_dec03_070104.doc
Matthew, have you heard of Tinyurl? (I mean that jokingly, but also seriously.)
Yeah, nobody said anything to me about Victim Support. So I didn’t ask them not to refer my details…because I had no idea they would do so. I honestly can’t be bothered to complain at this point in time, especially since I genuinely liked the police officers who took my statement and I imagine this was just an oversight on their part.
Jackie, read about your ordeal @2Blowhards.
[you might - or probably not- remember me from some years back, commenting @ your old blog. And on Samizdata]
In September I had my own dose of dealing with police re: assault in public place (not so severe as yours though - I was not subjected to physical assault). I posted my photographs and description of it on my blog;
here’s a sample of typical comment I recieved:
“The cops aren’t supposed to take sides, they just take names and info. You stumbled upon a few nuts and the cops just don’t want you to go back. Did you assume that because you are legally in the right that the cops would be sympathetic to YOUR situation? They can care less; they just don’t want to waste any more of their time…”
Do you know that carrying and using mace in NY is a crime?
Just dropping by as I left a message yesterday and wanted to see if there was any update.
Personally, I’d consider contacting a BTP press office as opposed to the officers now, informing them of what has happened, how you have been writing about it, how other people have been writing about it, and please can they possibly comment on why this wait is acceptable.
I know how ridiculous this may sound at this time but rightly or wrongly, my experience has been that this can get things moving.
I know I’m sounding terribly simplistic and naive but I can’t believe
a) How ridiculous (and nasty) some of the comments to you have been.
b) That the nice lady from Victim Support would ‘call you back tomorrow.’
Anyway all the best to you. Be kind to yourself. Obviously the care of those that know you best and love you will be what’s needed, but I do hope you can take some comfort in the fact that people who have never met you are thinking of you.
All best.
Thanks, Tatyana and Linda, and everyone else. I really appreciate the support and advice more than I can say.
I caught this early in and have watched. In a ghastly way I feel more sorry for you on account of the awful and useless state and police implications; as well as what I’ll bet is yourupcoming disgust at the horror of the failure of it all. I’m a Brit in the USA and this story is a perfet illustration of what I don’t miss.
Linda is bang on - don’t wait any longer.
Apologies about link - was in a rush. I even have tinyrul as one of my links so no excuses
Jackie
Have only just read about what happened, am appalled, have also had hassles with people on Tubes assaulting me, I never bothered to report it because of the hassle. (I suspect its more common than any of us think)
Sadly your experience both of the assault and of the response by the authorities afterwards are the standard experience of Londoners dealing with this low level crime.
I am also amazed by some of the responses you have had from daring to blog about it…there’s a whole new chapter in social media mores there!