Survivors who were abused as children after being sent abroad under state-backed programmes are suing the Government for compensation. Thousands of Britons, many in care or from poor families, were sent abroad to countries including Australia and New Zealand in the post-Second World War years partly to save on care…

Actress Michaela Coel has claimed she was sexually assaulted by strangers, but said that writing about it for a new TV show has been "therapeutic". Coel, who wrote and starred in Bafta-winning E4 comedy series Chewing Gum, told the Edinburgh TV Festival of the "life-changing" experience, but did not say…

Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police have apologised for social media posts which appeared to blame victims of sexual assault. Both organisations have since removed the tweets from their accounts and instead posted a statement apologising for how the original messages were perceived. The original posts also contained a video…

Men's welfare campaigners fear an "unconscious bias" is causing police to ignore psychological abuse of vulnerable men by a partner and focus only on female victims. The comments came after it emerged that in the first year since a law against engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate…

A woman-focused rape counselling service has lost its funding because it did not do enough for men, according to its manager. Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis's face-to-face counselling service for 13 to 18-year-old girls who have faced sexual violence has been funded by BBC Children in Need for six years…

The UK's largest provider of women's refuges has welcomed ministers' decision to ditch plans to devolve funding for the network to local councils. The charity Refuge said that the proposal could have led to the collapse of provision of accommodation for women fleeing violent partners across the country. Plans were…

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has pledged to look at how victims’ rights could be strengthened after meeting the family of a teenage girl who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Relatives of Michelle Stewart (pictured) met with Mr Yousaf in Ayr to make the case for changes dubbed “Michelle’s Law”. She…

Victims of mentally disordered offenders are unfairly denied rights given to others affected by crime, a report has found. Ministers must act to end the "unacceptable" gap in support which leaves some victims feeling ignored and isolated, according to the assessment from Baroness Newlove, the Victims' Commissioner for England and…

A man is to be prosecuted for allegedly using social media to name the woman at the centre of a rape trial involving two rugby stars. Former Ireland and Ulster players Paddy Jackson, 26, and Stuart Olding, 25, were acquitted of raping the woman after a high-profile trial in Belfast…

MPs have criticised the director of public prosecutions over long-term failings that saw vital evidence withheld from defence lawyers in rape and serious sexual assault cases. The Justice Committee said "insufficient focus and leadership" led to problems going unresolved and that Alison Saunders "did not sufficiently recognise the extent and…

Compensation for people who suffer at the hands of criminals should be paid up front rather than in "derisory" instalments, the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales has said. Baroness Newlove (pictured) called for a change to the way court-ordered financial awards are paid after they are imposed on convicted…

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has been fined £200,000 after sending a bulk email that identified possible victims of child sexual abuse. Vulnerable people were placed at risk owing to the error, after the email was sent to 90 inquiry participants on February 27 last year, the…