Being a victim of crime or a witness in a court case can be difficult, and can have a real impact on the way you feel and what you do.
The people and organisations you come into contact with in the criminal justice system – such as the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Witness Service, Victim Support, and the lawyers – should understand that it can be really tough being a young victim or witness. Unfortunately, sometimes mistakes are made, and the service or support you get is not as good as it should be.
If you feel that you haven’t been treated well, or that the service you’ve received hasn’t been up to standard, then you can make a complaint. Telling someone how you feel about what has happened, and what you think was done wrong or should be done better, can mean that things are put right.
It can also help you to recover and move on, and in some cases help to make sure that things are improved for other young victims or witnesses.
If you feel that you have not been treated properly under the Victims' Code or the Witness Charter, you can complain to the organisation which you believe hasn’t supported you properly (for example the police or the Crown Prosecution Service).