If you were a juror, would your verdict change based on this?

[ArwenGrey]

Name change so as to not be linked to other threads...

Currently due to go to court as a victim against exP faced with multiple counts of rape against me. This was when I was 17 exP was 20+ at the time. 'Good' evidence, message records from the night it happened and continuously accounted same story through school, messages to friends and exP admitting it, GP, therapies, over the years so hopefully a strong case. School reported to police at the time but I never gave names due to threats of suicide.

ExP defence is that it didn't happen.

As a juror, would you be more likely to say not guilty if you hadn't seen the victim in person?

Not sure if best to use video link, go in person, or pre record. Advice welcome if anybody has been in the situation before - I am scared!!

Thanks in advance

Ime facing your abuser is very liberating. Exh denied denied denied.... Saying what he was like out loud in front of people was quite empowering.
You can do it op...
You will find inner strength you never knew you had!

I suspect it will affect some jurors’ view, to be honest: “well, she didn’t want to be here in person because she knew she was lying and didn’t want to be shown up” etc etc. Although those who hold that sort of view will possibly also refuse to believe you regardless of whether you’re there or not.

Have you spoken with Victim Support or looked into the possibility of having a McKenzie Friend for support and advocacy? As Santa says, facing your attacker can be really valuable as part of the healing process and for closure so worth careful consideration.

I've been a juror, and I argued for a guilty verdict (in a case of sexual assault) solely on the evidence presented, which I found convincing. The victim appeared by video link. It made no difference to my conviction that the evidence was overwhelming. He was jailed.

Think about what @Santaischeckinglists and @ComtesseDeSpair have said, but also think about yourself and what you feel you can cope with in court. Think also about a worst case scenario, that a jury returns a not guilty verdict, and how you will manage emotionally -- and set in place as much support as possible.

Best wishes,

I sit in on lots of rape cases. It’s undoubtedly more powerful when a victim appears in person but you must decide if you can cope with that, and if you can’t, it’s ok.

I will warn you that in the six rape trials I’ve sat in this years, there has only been one guilty verdict. I believe all six of them defendants to be guilty. However, the defence barristers constantly impress upon the jury the need to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt, and often you just can’t be. It’s clear to those of us who observe these cases frequently that these women are telling the truth - but for juries it’s almost always the first and last rape case they’ll hear so it’s much more difficult.

Sometimes you can see in the faces of several jury members that they don’t agree with the not guilty verdict. Sometimes they cry.

I say all this OP so that you take real comfort and strength from the fact that you’ve been so incredibly brave already to do what you’ve done. Every woman that stands up and speaks about what happened to her makes it easier for other women to do so. That is a victory in itself.

All the best of luck, whatever you decide.