Rape trials: Legal representation [Policy briefing]

Rape complainants describe being intimidated, excluded, and revictimised at trial. Internationally, this has led to a growing number of human rights directives to establish a minimum standard of treatment for both victims and perpetrators of sexual violence. As part of this, many countries now offer the complainant legal representation, and the British public wrongly assume that UK rape victims are represented by the Crown. New research highlights the need to revisit provision of legal representation for complainants so as to protect their rights and address deep-rooted social inequality.