Victims of rape to get free legal advice throughout criminal justice process
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailRape victims will receive free legal advice throughout the criminal justice process in a bid to make the process less traumatic, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said. Lawyers will help victims understand their rights and challenge unnecessary personal information requests.A new Independent Legal Advisor service will provide guidance outside court, including how to challenge "no further action" decisions by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).The MoJ also confirmed the expansion of Operation Soteria, a programme improving police investigation of sexual offences. Ministers will seek a consistent "victims first" approach within the courtroom.Last month, courts minister Sarah Sackman admitted she “wouldn’t blame” victims who choose to walk away from the criminal justice system instead of waiting years for a trial.It comes as the controversial Courts and Tribunals Bill reaches Second Reading in the House of Commons.The reforms are set to introduce judge-only trials for some types of offences, scaling back the right for a defendant to stand trial in front of a jury in an effort to cut the backlog.The Conservatives are set to force a vote to try to block the second reading in Parliament on Tuesday.The MoJ also announced that Operation Soteria – a programme rolled out across police forces to improve how sexual offences are investigated – will be expanded (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Justice Minister David Lammy said: “For too long victims of rape have faced not only the trauma of the crime but the trauma of a justice process that can feel like it is judging them instead of pursuing the perpetrator.“Operation Soteria has already changed how rape cases are investigated by putting the focus where it belongs – on the suspect.“By introducing Independent Legal Advisors and expanding the principles of Operation Soteria into the courtroom, we are making sure victims have both the protection and support they deserve throughout the justice process.”“Alongside our reforms of the courts system through the Courts and Tribunals Bill, we are rebalancing the system to put victims first.”The scheme will be backed by £6 million over two years, the MoJ said.On Monday, a victim of sexual violence told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer how her 10-year fight for justice made her feel “forgotten”.Katie Catt told Sir Keir about her violent ex-partner and the impact it had on her mental health.“You feel like you can be forgotten with the delays because you don’t have someone talking to you, you don’t have someone updating you,” she said.Sir Keir said: “It is really important that you are in the centre of government working with us on this because we can’t do this without you.“I want you to have the opportunity to tell me your experience, what you think should change and it to just be a really frank conversation.“Don’t hold back, the most important thing is that we get the unvarnished version of this, what it is like, what needs to change.“Where things aren’t right, it is your right to tell us.“It is our job then to do something about it.”Siobhan Blake, national lead for rape and serious sexual offences at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “No victim should ever feel as though they are the ones on trial.“In 2023, following Operation Soteria, we overhauled how we prosecute rape cases – working closely with police from the beginning to make sure investigations focus on a suspect’s actions rather than scrutinising victims.“Our specialist prosecutors are trained in how to dismantle harmful assumptions and misconceptions about how a victim ‘should’ behave and challenge these head-on in the courtroom.”
