80 new rape courts

[CassieMaddox]

Labour pledging this as part of their manifesto commitment to reduce VAWG.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/08/labour-pledges-80-new-courts-in-bid-to-tackle-backlog-crisis

So pleased to see an actual tangible action targeted at something that will help women. I'm looking forward to seeing what else is in their manifesto now.

All government is a question of priorities.
Sunak thinks he can find 150 judges go send to Rwanda.

It hasn't been implemented yet because the Conservatives have prioritised other things. Labour are saying they will prioritise this. It is a vote winner for me, but I accept it won't be for others.

I work in the legal sector. There aren't enough judges already. Where are we magicking up more for these rape courts? Plus, where do they intend in finding the barristers to do the work, bearing in mind loads have stopped practising criminal law or stopped practising completely due to the lack of money in that sector?

Pie in the sky.

Do you think he intends to have more women counted as men?

It is better than them being out on the streets, raping with impunity surely?

fedupandstuck
Perhaps the sentences will be suspended or community based rather than prison.

I hope they don't try to introduce restorative justice.

Really?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/30/nearly-70-of-victims-drop-out-of-investigations-in-england-and-wales

Victims are waiting years for their cases to be heard. During which time they can't get adequate counselling support in case it alters their memory of the offence.

70% of victims are withdrawing. That means a huge number of rapists getting away with it.

It needs sorting.

@CassieMaddox - easy to say when you aren't the one locked in a cell with a rapist

The theoretical risk Labour might put rapists in womens prisons is less of a priority to me at the moment than the reality where only 1.4% of reported rapes result in conviction and victims are waiting years for their cases to go to court.

Of course men locked up with women isn't a priority for you. Shocker.

There is no need to put men in womens prisons. Unless all the women prisoners have been released to make room for them.

Sorry but I don't believe a thing this man says. Feels like it's something a focus group has come up with just to try and win over fema!e votes. Vote for them if you want, but don't come crying on MN in a year or two saying, where are the rape courts Keir promised! It's simplistic and not a solution, as only a tiny minority of rapes will EVER get as far as court anyway...

It's easy to say that when you're of the belief that you'll never go to prison. But what the Post Office scandal has taught me is never say never; miscarriages of justice happen.

We should all be banging the drum to make sure no men (bits lopped off or not) are put into women's prisons, because no woman deserves to be housed with men in their prison.

Its always some other woman that gets to be volunteered as acceptable collateral damage. If you aren't bothered, volunteer yourself.

I read an article recently which talked about the large number of barristers with specialist expertise in rape and sexual assault cases either due to retire or planning to stop taking these cases. It was worrying.

Found it: https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/landmark-survey-reveals-mass-exodus-of-specialist-rape-lawyers/5118720.article

That's not what I said.
It is not the Labour Party that's been putting rapists in womens prisons. It is the Tories.

😂
OK

“Halve violence against women and girls”. Has Starmer finally worked out what a woman is? Does he recognise which sex is responsible for the vast majority of violence against women and girls?

He might start by addressing the issues of the 'most marginalised' group of women. The one which many people believe face elevated levels of violence. I.E. transwomen.

And I don't believe for a second they have a revolutionary new method of obtaining objective evidence. The biggest problem with securing a rape conviction is lack of witnesses/non subjective evidence. It's usually his word against hers.

I note that @CassieMaddox is resolutely failing to respond to the posts which have raised lack of judges / barristers. Almost like it's an inconvenient truth!

I struggle with the idea that on one hand they are fine with increasing the risk to women with their TRA nonsense whilst saying they will do more for rape victims by locking up perpetrators…. Probably with other women.

It’s fucking nonsensical. If you care about violence against women you safeguard sex based rights and stop heightening the risks women and children face by allowing men free reign in womens spaces.

It’s not just rape is it either, it’s being made to feel you can’t say no to a man doing a smear cos his name is brenda and he’s wearing sparkly eyeshadow. Or being scared shitless because theres some unit loitering around the womens toilets. Or avoiding your swimming pool because Chalene likes to walk around with his penis hanging out. It’s the squeezing women out of spaces where they feel safe and comfortable. You can’t even complain about exposure in some of those cases because it would make you transphobic.

And no I don’t trust Labour not to do all that to women. If you still struggle with a basic definition of what a woman is then you have no intention of dealing with the above. If you refuse to clarify that gender actually means sex in the equalities act you definitely don’t give a shit do you.

The Tories want to use any capacity in the court system to deal with asylum claims..... Starmer wants to use it for rape victims.

Who is on the side of women?

Its very clear, but you as always, will never credit Labour for anything at all, thats v clear.

BS!

We used to convict far more rapists than we do now.

The reason for the drop is the average 2 years it takes (some far longer) this muddies the waters, people decide to drop their allegations etc etc.

Far fewer police too.

And a whole bunch of us have told you, theres no space.
No space or people to staff courts, no prison space, so if they cant go to prison, where will they go? Community based sentence. Which means out on the street, never even locked up.
Have you even thought this through or just seen a headline and gone wow.

So let's stick a rapist in prison with women?

You first.

I mean it sounds fab but in reality is this just getting rid of cases quicker?

The stats for men actually getting found guilty is terrifying. I’d would have preferred that being looked at first before they start ‘clearing back log’

Just to note I’m politically homeless. I’d love it if Rosie and Kemi joined forces and booted them all out but that’s never gonna happen