Latest news with #victimprotection
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Oxfordshire police make 14 arrests in domestic abuse operation
Fourteen people have been arrested during a two-day operation to target domestic abuse Valley Police officers and detectives across Oxfordshire joined forces on Thursday and Friday to visit addresses and arrest detained and questioned people wanted for domestic violence or threats, controlling and coercive behaviour, breaching bail conditions, or economic, psychological or emotional Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Olly Wright said he would encourage domestic abuse victims to contact the police and "take every opportunity to break the cycle". The operation started at 4am on Thursday and seventeen attempts were made resulting in 14 included one Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) breach, where the suspect was found hiding in a cupboard at the victim's force said they had also seized "multiple mobile phones" and booked suspects into custody at Abingdon Police Station before questioning reported that two of them had been charged and remanded, one to prison and the other bailed by the courts. Eleven were released on bail with "robust conditions", or given a also interviewed two further suspects voluntarily on Insp Jamie Cuthbertson, of the Oxfordshire Local Command Unit, said the days of action "demonstrate our ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and holding offenders to account"."We want victims to know they are not alone," he said. The force said that Chief Constable Jason Hogg and ACC Wright had "stopped by to give their support to the operation".Mr Wright said TVP "will always treat domestic abuse as a priority", adding that the "adverse impact on children witnessing a parent being abused must never be underestimated".He said he "was really heartened by the determined team work I saw"."Abuse often continues behind closed doors for years, and we need to take every opportunity to break the cycle."TVP also signposted people to charities and organisations such as Victims you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Quebec law that helps victims of intimate image sharing remove photos now in effect
The iris scanner, centre, and camera lens, right, are shown on the back of a smartphone, Monday, April 17, 2017, in New York. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Mark Lennihan MONTREAL — A Quebec law is coming into force, giving people new tools to obtain a court order to remove intimate images posted online. Under the Criminal Code, publishing, texting or sharing intimate images of someone without their consent is a crime. But for most victims, this does not always mean unlawfully shared images will get removed quickly. The new Quebec law allows victims to fill out a form online or at a courthouse and obtain an order from a judge requiring the images or footage to be removed. Failure to comply comes with stiff penalties — with fines up to $50,000 per day for a first offence or 18 months in jail. Quebec is the second province after British Columbia to pass legislation protecting victims of non-consensual image sharing. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ventura County man arrested for alleged molestation of 2 young children
A Ventura County man was arrested for allegedly molesting two young children for years. Leonel Galindo, 36, of Ojai, is accused of targeting two victims who were under 14 years old at the time, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. The alleged crimes took place between 2018 to 2020 in Santa Paula. Galindo had access to the children through a familial relationship, authorities said. The molestation reportedly occurred on multiple occasions as well, prosecutors said. On May 29, following an investigation, Galindo was taken into custody outside of his workplace. He was charged with eight felony counts of lewd acts upon a child, along with special allegations of molesting multiple victims and taking advantage of a position of trust. 'The protection of children is our highest priority,' said Chief Investigator Scott Whitney. 'This arrest reflects the dedication of our investigators and their commitment to seeking justice.' Any witnesses or victims who have more information on Galindo or the case is asked to contact District Attorney Investigator Yumi Kirk at 805-477-1638. A bail review hearing is scheduled on June 3 at the Ventura County Superior Court. Galindo remains in custody on $2.4 million bail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times of Oman
20-05-2025
- Times of Oman
Public vigilance key as Oman fights human trafficking
MUSCAT: In a bid to strengthen national efforts against human trafficking, Oman authorities have urged the public to stay alert to early warning signs and report suspected cases promptly. With growing international scrutiny and the hidden nature of the crime, officials emphasized that raising awareness across all levels of society is critical to prevention and victim protection. A high-level workshop held in Muscat on Monday underscored the government's push to build a more informed and proactive community, with experts sharing key indicators of trafficking and legal mechanisms to fight the scourge. Titled 'Indicators of Human Trafficking, Raising Awareness of Its Dangers, and the Importance of Reporting It,' the workshop brought together stakeholders from the Ministry of Social Development, the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, the Royal Oman Police (ROP), and child protection representatives. The ROP presented a detailed overview of common indicators of trafficking crimes in Oman, including restriction of movement, withholding of official documents, non-payment of wages, signs of coercion, and the employment of minors outside legal bounds. Other red flags discussed were forced begging, physical violence, violations of Foreigners Residence Law, illegal immigration, money laundering, migrant smuggling, suspicious movement of women and children, and poor living or working conditions. Another key presentation by the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking focused on the committee's mandate to coordinate national response efforts, develop victim care programmes, and enhance border controls in line with international commitments. It also reviewed the local and international repercussions due to human trafficking. The Ministry of Labour's paper defined forced labour as any work or service imposed under threat, which the person did not willingly agree to perform. Among the indicators: confiscation of passports, abusive working conditions, and threats of dismissal or deportation. The legal framework underpinning Oman's anti-trafficking measures was also highlighted, including provisions under the Basic Law (Royal Decree No. 6/2021), the Anti-Human Trafficking Law (Royal Decree No. 126/2008), and a range of international agreements Oman has ratified. These include the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Royal Decree No. 37/2005), the Arab Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Royal Decree No. 6/2015), and the Arab Charter on Human Rights (Royal Decree No. 16/2023). Officials concluded the session by calling for broader public engagement, encouraging citizens and residents to speak up and report suspicious activity to help protect vulnerable individuals and dismantle trafficking networks.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Modern slavery victims opt to stay with exploiters for fear of deportation, research finds
Modern slavery victims are choosing to stay with their exploiters rather than access government support designed to protect them because of fears of immigration enforcement, research has found. The independent anti-slavery commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, said the system is 'deeply broken'. Two pieces of research shared exclusively with the Guardian find that, a decade after the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act, the landmark piece of legislation designed to protect trafficking victims and apprehend their perpetrators is failing. The first study, from Nottingham University's Rights Lab and commissioned by Lyons' office, , will be published next Wednesday. According to the report, titled Refusal to Consent, refusals to access support from the government's support system for trafficking victims, are at record levels. Potential victims who come into contact with the authorities but do not want to access the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are recorded in statistics known as duty to notify. These reports have soared by more than 630% since 2016 – from 762 in 2016 to 5,598 in 2024 – a sign that victims are losing trust in the system. Fear of deportation is the primary reason victims are rejecting support, according to the report, which questioned professionals working with victims and analysed government and academic data. Many victims believe the NRM is a trap that leads to immigration enforcement rather than protection. Hostile immigration policies and inflammatory language from the government is scaring victims away from the systems supposed to protect them, it found. Some traffickers use government rhetoric about the hostile environment and the threat of deportation to keep victims in a position of exploitation, according to the research. Government return agreements with Albania and Vietnam, which have high numbers of trafficking victims, has increased fear of coming forward among victims from these countries. In 2024 victims of trafficking were among those being issued with notices of intent that they were going to be forcibly removed to Rwanda. The second report, Barriers to Prosecutions and Convictions under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, is from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centreat the University of Oxford. It commissioned research from the Wilberforce Institute at the University of Hull, which analysed prosecution data since the act was introduced and found it remained low, with prosecutions as a percentage of potential trafficking victims referred to the NRM at just 1.8%. Between July 2023 and June 2024 17,120 potential modern slavery victims were referred to the NRM while over the same period 58 people in England and Wales were convicted of offences linked to modern slavery. Alicia Heys, an academic at the University of Hull who authored the study for the PEC, said: 'Part of the intention behind the Modern Slavery Act was to ensure that perpetrators receive suitably severe punishments, yet 10 years after the introduction of the act, conviction rates remain low. Sometimes offenders are pursued under different legislation, for example relating to drugs or controlling prostitution, which misrepresents survivors' experiences.' Lyons said: 'It's heartbreaking but not surprising that more and more potential victims of modern slavery are saying no to help. 'When fear of deportation outweighs the promise of protection, when there are few consequences for criminal perpetrators and people feel safer staying in exploitation than entering the system that's meant to help them, something is deeply broken. 'This report is a wake-up call: the National Referral Mechanism, the government's framework of support, isn't just misunderstood, it's mistrusted, mishandled, and in urgent need of reform.' The Home Office has been approached for comment.
