February 23, 2017
In a Times article entitled ‘Sex lives of rape victims are off limits in court’, Angela Rafferty QC and Eleanor Laws QC counter argue the results of the report commissioned by Dame Vera Baird QC, the Northumbria police and crime commissioner and the chairwoman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.
The findings of the report stated that the sexual history of complainants was raised in more than a third of rape trials. The findings were based on a sample of 30 rape trials that took place in an 18 month period at Newcastle Crown Court. The 30 rape trials represent 1.3% of rape trials that occurred within the same 18 month period from that the sample was taken.
Angela and Eleanor raise this argument in order to highlight that there are severe restrictions in place to protect victims of rape from unfair cross-examination about sexual history.
To read the full article, click here.