Court process re-traumatising victim-survivors of sexual violence, new report reveals

[IwantToRetire]

• Court process re-traumatising: PTSD, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts amongst victim-survivors of sexual violence
• “She asked me what I was wearing”: three quarters subjected to rape myths during cross examination
• Severely long waits and repeat adjournments at every stage of criminal justice system

The court process is re-traumatising victim-survivors of sexual violence, with some being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and experiencing suicidal thoughts, according to a new report published today (Thursday 10 October) by the charity Victim Support.

Some made suicide attempts whilst going through the court process.

https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/court-process-re-traumatising-victim-survivors-of-sexual-violence-new-report-reveals/

Unfortunately seems to have much in common with https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5183446-family-court-judges-use-victim-blaming-language-in-domestic-abuse-cases-research-by-herethical-ai

Swinging cuts to the Courts and Justice sector lead to rape being practically decriminalised in the UK with victims being re-traumatised in the process. Often with their rapists walking free.

I think it's time to rethink the way we deal with SA, rape and CSA. Currently the odds are heavily weighted towards the offender. This has to change.

I was a victim of CSA and said many times the court process was worse than the abuse in many ways. I wish I hadn’t bothered.

I saw Giselle Pelicot walked out of court today.
The process is the punishment.

Yes and how on earth can anyone question her story?

Unfortunately, for many victims, the process is the punishment for reporting your rapist.

I'm so sorry that you can confirm this from your own experience.

I don't know what the appropriate solution is, but I know the current system seems to re-harm survivors and acts as a deterrent to reporting.

I’m a solicitor too so I now have some understanding of the system and how hard it is to secure convictions in these sorts of matters. I did a short stint in criminal law - this was all after my own experience.

As a victim, it was awful. I still replay in my mind some of the comments the defence barrister made trying to undermine me. It is so unjust that, as a child, I was subjected to someone trying to discredit me when I had done what I thought was right by raising a complaint.

It was chaotic and disorganised - an inconvenience as a professional at work, absolutely awful as a victim, you are so disconnected from the process. Your time not important.

So sorry you were put through this.

I had thought that there had been work done to try and improve not just the process but the attitudes of those part of the process.

Thanks. To be fair my own experience was 16 years ago. I’m not aware of any significant changes though and have colleagues/friends who work for the CPS and in the CJS: