This project explores how police procedural injustice shapes and is shaped by sexual violence victim-survivors’ disabilities and health, and what possibilities for justice exist.
The research will collaborate with The DIVAS Project at The Women’s Centre Cornwall. The DIVAS are a group of women with Learning Disabilities, Neurodiversity and Autism ‘who fight to be treated fairly and with respect’. The research will use mixed methods, including undertaking workshops and secondary data analysis of an Operation Soteria survey of victim-survivors and their experiences of police in England and Wales.
Procedural justice is considered to be integral to a fair society. However, current models lack the critical depth needed to address the challenges faced by disabled victim-survivors and those with health conditions. This project fills that gap. In so doing, it explores police power and legitimacy, and addresses key conceptual and empirical challenges in the field of procedural justice studies.
This project aims to advance procedural justice studies and partner expertise by comprehensively understanding:
- police injustice experienced by sexual violence victim-survivors with disabilities and health conditions; and
- the possibilities for justice.
Stage 1 – Procedural injustice: Secondary data analysis of victim survey and primary workshop data collection
Secondary data analysis will be undertaken of the largest survey in England and Wales of sexual violence victim-survivors experiences of policing. Results from statistical and qualitative thematic analysis will then be presented to DIVAS in workshops.
Stage 2 -The possibilities for justice: Primary qualitative and quantitative data collection
The project team will observe Victim-Survivor Advisory Panel meetings and will survey police, statutory and voluntary partners. Results from the observation and survey will be presented to DIVAS in workshops.
Stage 3 – Synthesis into a procedural justice model
The results of the previous stages will be synthesised into a procedural justice model capable of addressing dynamic relationships between policing, health, disability and vulnerability.
