Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme details: FOI release

Information requested

You asked if it is true that, in Scotland, if an accusation of rape is taken to trial and results in a conviction of the accused, the person making that accusation is awarded £40,000. in compensation?

I am taking this to mean you would like to know if there is an automatic compensation scheme in Scotland where if an accused is convicted of rape, that the victim is awarded £40,000 in compensation.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not operate a such a compensation scheme. Therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Further Information

There is a UK wide compensation scheme for victims of violent crime, which includes sexual assault called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. This is not run by Scottish Government. It is run by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority , (the CICA), which is an agency of the UK Government. It considers applications for victims of crime in Scotland as well as the rest of the UK. I attach a link to website which you may find of interest.

A victim can apply to the scheme and there does not have to be a conviction, but there are some eligibility criteria which are explained in the website.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority - GOV.UK

I also attach a link to statistics which relate to claims made to the CICA which you may also find of some interest in relation to levels of compensation paid by them.

Statistics at CICA - Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority - GOV.UK

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.