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The practicalities of English and Welsh rape trials: Observations and avenues for improvement
English and Welsh rape trials have long been recognized as problematic, with research highlighting the prevalence of rape myths, sexual history evidence and manipulative questioning at trial. Despite this extensive literature, little attention has been paid to the more practical elements of rape trials, but the limited evidence that does exist suggests these may significantly impact survivors. This article therefore draws upon 13 months of court observations to examine how seemingly mundane aspects of rape trials can present substantial barriers to participation. It will argue that ‘special measures’ can cause delays, some witness facilities are inadequate and that the public gallery is frequently a site of intimidation. Ultimately, the research highlights simple changes that could increase opportunities for survivor justice; for example ensuring rape survivors use judicial entrances to court.
History
School
- Social Sciences
Department
- Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies
Published in
Criminology & Criminal JusticeVolume
18Issue
3Pages
332 - 348Publisher
SAGE PublicationsVersion
- AM (Accepted Manuscript)
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© The AuthorPublisher statement
Olivia Smith, The practicalities of English and Welsh rape trials: Observations and avenues for improvement, Criminology & Criminal Justice (18, 3) pp. 332-348. Copyright © 2017 (The Author). DOI: 10.1177/1748895817702508. Users who receive access to an article through a repository are reminded that the article is protected by copyright. Users may download and save a local copy of an article accessed in an institutional repository for the user's personal reference.Publication date
2017-04-02Copyright date
2017ISSN
1748-8958eISSN
1748-8966Language
- en
Depositor
Dr Olivia SmithUsage metrics
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