Biography
Claire Waxman OBE was appointed in 2017 by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to be London’s first Independent Victims’ Commissioner, and was subsequently reappointed in May 2021.
Claire brings a wealth of personal insight and expertise to the role - having been the victim of a sustained stalking campaign, she founded a group which successfully fought for improved legislation and support for victims and survivors. As a prominent champion for victims’ rights, Claire has led in many calls for change which resulted in stalking laws and spearheaded the Victims’ Law campaign.
In her role as Independent Victims' Commissioner for London, Claire has undertaken an ambitious programme of work to transform the criminal justice system to provide a better experience for victims of crime. This includes convening three Victims Summits which brought together key national and international justice partners and leaders publishing two Rape Reviews and a Review into the Victims Code of Practice.
She held a series of roundtables to better understand the experiences of specific groups of victims; and lobbying for key legislative change through the Domestic Abuse Bill, Policing Bill, and Victims and Prisoners Bill.
As Victims’ Commissioner for London, Claire works alongside victims and survivors, amplifying their voices and promoting their interests with criminal justice partners such as central government, the Met Police, Crown Prosecution Service and judiciary, among others, to ensure that their voices are heard and that lessons are learnt to inform and shape practices, policies, and service provision.
With the support of the Mayor, she is working with partners to progress her vision for an independent Victim Care Hub in London, to transform the way victims receive support and navigate through their criminal justice journey and improve their experiences.
Claire was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year’s Honours for services to victims of crime.