Justice and Care’s Scotland Navigators receive prestigious award
November 9, 2023
Justice and Care’s Victim Navigators have been named Policing Partner of the Year by Police Scotland Tayside.
Two of our Navigators were honoured for ‘delivering an outstanding level of performance to victims of human trafficking and exploitation’ in the Tayside Divisional Commander’s Annual Awards and Recognition ceremony on Tuesday.
The awards recognise the dedication and hard work of the police officers, police staff and Special Constables who have made an exceptional contribution to the safety, security and wellbeing of people and communities. The Policing Partner award is given to an external partner who has been invaluable in supporting the force in their work over the last year.
Our Navigators, who are funded by the Scottish Government, were specifically celebrated for being ‘pivotal’ to building trust between victims and investigators in a sexual exploitation case.
More than 25 survivors were identified during the enquiry, with 10 engaging with the investigation. The Navigators have maintained contact and ensured that support is being delivered to assist survivors facing addiction, financial, housing and family issues, whether or not they engage with police.
Eight months after being supported out of exploitation, one survivor is now drug-free and in employment, has reunited with her family and is running marathons.
A citation on the awards described the Navigators’ approach as ‘phenomenal, with the priority always being the care and welfare of the victims’.
It added: ‘By understanding law enforcement approaches, they have assisted in developing the rapport between victims and the team of investigators, increasing the trust and confidence the victims have in the police, resulting in positive results.’
Debi Lloyd, European Operational Manager at Justice and Care, said: ‘It is an honour for the Navigators in Scotland to receive this prestigious award.
‘It is a tribute to their hard work and unwavering dedication to modern slavery victims, and demonstrates the strength of the partnership between Justice and Care and Police Scotland.’
