Legal representation for sexual assault victims - Possibilities for law reform?

Article

Braun, Kerstin. 2014. "Legal representation for sexual assault victims - Possibilities for law reform?" Current Issues in Criminal Justice. 25 (3), pp. 819-837.
Article Title

Legal representation for sexual assault victims - Possibilities for law reform?

ERA Journal ID17091
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorBraun, Kerstin
Journal TitleCurrent Issues in Criminal Justice
Journal Citation25 (3), pp. 819-837
Number of Pages18
Year2014
Place of PublicationSydney, Australia
ISSN1034-5329
Web Address (URL)http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/CICrimJust/2014/6.html
Abstract

In the past, Australian law reform often focused on improving the situation of sexual assault victims in the criminal justice system in order to increase the low reporting and conviction rates for sexual violence. Studies have shown, however, that the reporting and conviction rates for sexually motivated crime have remained low, and that victims who do report sexual assault continue to feel dissatisfied with the way they are treated by the criminal justice system. This article explores the notion of granting sexual assault victims the right to be legally represented when testifying as witnesses at trial in order to improve their experience with the criminal justice system. After considering different types of legal representation available to victims in the German inquisitorial system, it is argued that one form of legal representation, namely legal representation for victim witnesses, could successfully be implemented for sexual assault victims in the Australian adversarial criminal justice system.

Keywordslaw reform; sexual assault victims; victim support;legal representation
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020489999. Other law and legal studies not elsewhere classified
Byline AffiliationsUniversity of Queensland
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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