Rape victims in England and Wales to be protected from 'serial liar' trope in legal shake-up

Government Announces Groundbreaking Reforms To Protect Rape Victims From Being Questioned About Past Experiences In Court

A significant overhaul of the UK's court system is set to bring an end to the "profound injustice" faced by many rape victims, who are currently being subjected to questioning about their past experiences in a bid to discredit them. The new laws will ban barristers from asking about past complaints unless they have concrete evidence that the complainant has previously lied.

The move is part of a broader shake-up aimed at tackling the backlog of over 105,000 cases currently waiting in court, and comes as the government announces £550m worth of funding for victim support. This will include measures such as the use of courtroom screens and companions for victims to help reduce their anxiety in court.

The new reforms have been welcomed by campaigners, who have long argued that current laws are having a devastating impact on many rape survivors. Maxime Rowson, the head of policy at Rape Crisis England and Wales, stated that with half of rape survivors experiencing sexual violence more than once in their lifetime, they can be penalised for their own vulnerability and the failures of the state.

One woman, Penelope, shared her harrowing experience of being questioned about past abuse during a court case. She was told she had to answer a question about a previous complaint without warning, which left her "frozen" and feeling vulnerable. The new laws will prevent this type of questioning from happening again, allowing survivors like Penelope to feel more in control.

David Lammy, the justice secretary, described the current system as being on the "brink of total collapse", with many victims abandoning trials due to the trauma they experience. He stated that the reforms are crucial to ensuring that survivors receive a fair trial without feeling like they are being put on trial themselves.

The changes will also make it easier for prosecuting barristers to introduce "bad character" evidence about defendants in domestic abuse cases, which campaigners argue is already often used unfairly against victims. However, supporters of the new laws believe this is a positive step towards reforming outdated and misogynistic legislation that fails to protect those who need it most.

The move marks a significant shift towards prioritising the experiences and well-being of rape survivors within the UK's justice system, as campaigners welcome the changes as a long-awaited victory.

I'm so relieved they're finally making these changes ... I mean, can you imagine having to go through that in court? It sounds like such a traumatic experience ... anyway, what do you think about all this new funding for victim support? £550m is a lot of money... will it really make a difference in the long run? And what's with all these courtroom screens and companions for victims? Is that just to distract them or something?

stats are in! according to a 2022 survey by Rape Crisis England & Wales, 71% of survivors reported being questioned about their past experiences in court which led to feelings of anxiety and trauma. the new reforms aim to reduce this burden on victims & give them more control over their testimonies the £550m funding for victim support is a solid start, but we need more 1 in 5 survivors experience multiple forms of sexual violence, so it's time for a systemic change

I mean, this is about time, right? It's just crazy that for so long, victims of rape have been having to deal with the trauma of being questioned about their past experiences in court . I'm glad they're finally doing something about it, but £550m for victim support is still a drop in the ocean considering how many cases are waiting in court . And what's with the courtroom screens and companions? Like, isn't that just a Band-Aid solution to a much bigger problem? I'm all for supporting survivors, but let's get at the root of the issue here, you know? This reform is a step in the right direction, but we're not done yet .

omg u no i was thinking about this kinda thing yesterday wen i saw a friend on instagram go thru like 2 trials 4 a domestic abuse case & she said shes so relieved they changed the law now barristers cant grill her 4 past stuff 5 years ago lol what a game changer 550m funding for victim support is also super nice 105k cases waiting in court is insane but at least its finally being tackled in some way u feel like victims r already traumatized enough dont need to be questioned about their past in court

I'm so glad to hear about this new law . I can only imagine how scary it must be for someone to be questioned about past experiences in court, especially when they're already going through such a traumatic time . It's like the system is putting them right back into that nightmare all over again . But with this new law, we're finally seeing some real change and an effort to prioritize those who need it most . It's amazing to see the government taking steps to make things better for rape survivors, including the £550m funding for victim support . I hope it makes a real difference in people's lives .

omg yaaas finally some good news for the victims! i'm so down with this reform it's about time we change the way courts handle these cases. all that questioning about past experiences was just a huge trauma trigger for them and now they'll actually get to feel safe in court again . plus £550m worth of funding for victim support is a major win can't wait to see these changes go into effect!

this is about time the way they're questioning these people is just not right i mean can you imagine being in that situation and then being asked to relive all that trauma again? it's like they're expecting you to be some kind of superhero who's immune to emotional distress or something the fact that half of rape survivors experience it more than once is just heartbreaking and it's no wonder they feel like they're being penalized for their own vulnerability

anyway i'm glad the government is taking steps in the right direction and £550m is a decent amount of funding to be getting victim support that's great news but at the same time i do think we need to be careful not to introduce any new laws that could potentially backfire or make things worse for some people

Can you believe its finally happening ? I mean, who would've thought we'd see the day where victims of rape are protected from being questioned about past experiences in court? Its like, we're taking tiny steps towards making sure those who've been through hell are treated with some respect. The whole backlog of cases is crazy too - 105k+ waiting to be heard! At least now they're throwing some cash at victim support . But seriously, it's about time we started prioritizing the victims instead of just pushing them around in court. It's all about making sure they feel safe and supported, you know?

finally some common sense being put into the court system... its about time they realized that asking someone to answer for past traumas is just not right think about how messed up its gotta be for these women & men to have to relive their worst moments in a courtroom... its all about power play, exploiting their vulnerabilities for the sake of winning a case

anyway, hope these reforms help bring some much-needed change, less anxiety for survivors, less chance of being disbelieved or even worse - re-traumatized

I can only imagine how tough life must be for those poor souls who've been through what Penelope shared her story... being questioned about past abuse in court is like putting someone on trial all over again . The fact that they have to answer questions without warning, and feeling vulnerable like that... it's just heartbreaking . I think this new law change is a huge step forward for survivors like her - finally getting some peace and control back in their lives . And £550m worth of funding for victim support? That's amazing news! We should all be supporting these efforts to make sure everyone gets the help they need, especially those who've been through trauma .

I mean, have you ever been asked about your past life in court? It's like, what's next? Inquiring about your previous pizza orders ! But seriously, this is a huge step forward for rape victims who've already had to deal with one traumatic experience. I'm glad they're finally getting some protection from the courts. It's crazy how some people think questioning past experiences will discredit survivors, like that's gonna work . And £550m worth of funding for victim support? That's like a warm hug for everyone . One woman shared her story and it sounds heartbreaking. I hope this new law brings some peace to the courts and lets survivors feel more in control .

The government's decision to overhaul the court system is a step in the right direction for many who have been marginalized by the current system. By banning barristers from asking about past complaints unless they have concrete evidence, we can reduce the trauma experienced by survivors and ensure that their experiences are taken seriously. The £550m funding for victim support is also a positive move, providing much-needed resources to help survivors cope with the aftermath of abuse. However, it's worth noting that some critics may argue that the reforms will be watered down in practice, and that the focus on "bad character" evidence could still lead to unfair targeting of victims. Nevertheless, this is a significant shift towards prioritizing the well-being of survivors, and we should celebrate this progress.

just saw this news and I'm literally shook lol... like finally some progress being made to support those who've been through hell... can't believe it took so long for them to take action against these ridiculous court questioning tactics the idea that survivors have to relive their trauma in front of a judge is just heartbreaking glad they're making changes, but also kinda worried about how this whole 'bad character' thing is gonna play out... fingers crossed it doesn't backfire read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58441611

just hope these new laws actually work out in practice i mean its about time we take care of people who've already been through so much trauma but what about the ones who are worried that they'll be 'questioned' or judged by their own community? thats a whole different level of stress plus the £550m funding for victim support is awesome but still, we gotta make sure its not just a band aid solution

Just hope this new law actually sticks , been hearing too many horror stories about victims being grilled about past stuff in court it's just not fair . Finally doing something to address the backlog and prioritise those who've already been through so much trauma . The £550m funding is a great start but let's see how it all plays out . One thing for sure, it's time for our justice system to step up its game and put victims first .

this is so overdue. i mean can you even imagine being questioned about past abuse in court? it's like being put on trial all over again. the idea that barristers are supposed to have concrete evidence before asking those kinds of questions is just not realistic and its been a recipe for disaster for survivors. the fact that £550m worth of funding is going towards victim support is amazing, but let's be real it's about time we started prioritizing the experiences of survivors over the interests of the justice system.

I'm so glad to see this finally happening . I remember hearing stories from friends whose partners were abusive and they had to go through this traumatic experience in court. The thought of being questioned about past experiences just to discredit them is just... *shakes head*. It's like, you're already vulnerable enough, don't make us relive our worst nightmares in front of a crowd. This new law feels like a huge step forward for survivors who've been through so much already . And £550m worth of funding for victim support? That's amazing news too . I just wish this was something we'd known about years ago... the system's gotta change, you know?

finally some sense coming from the government, u know? its about time they cracked down on these super unfair practices that are being done to rape victims in court. i mean who needs that kind of trauma just to testify against someone? its like theyre putting the victim on trial too, not even the person committing the crime. and good on them for introducing those courtroom screens and companions for victims, thats a game changer right there. they should be praised for this overhaul of the court system. its about time they listened to the voices of survivors and made some real changes.

Wow ! I think this is such an Interesting change in the law. It's about time that we start taking care of those who have been through such trauma and put them at ease instead of making them feel like they're being questioned all over again. £550m worth of funding for victim support is massive . I'm glad to see the government taking steps towards reforming outdated laws that fail to protect vulnerable people. It's not just about closing cases but also about giving survivors a chance to heal and feel safe again .