News
New campaign to end the not proven verdict
Rape Crisis
Scotland and Miss M, the woman at the centre of a recent civil rape
case, are
today launching a campaign to end the not proven verdict.
Following a not proven verdict in a criminal trial in 2015, Miss M successfully sued Stephen Coxen in the civil courts, in what was the first civil damages action for rape following an unsuccessful criminal prosecution in almost 100 years.
Uniquely, Scotland has three verdicts – guilty, not guilty and not proven. Not guilty and not proven have the same impact – they are both acquittals, and there are no legal consequences for the accused if he/she gets a not proven verdict.
Reson@te
Rape Crisis Scotland has been working with 12 artists in
Scotland to produce
Reson@te, a new exhibition featuring work which
invites viewers to consider issues like consent, self-image, loss of identity,
the everyday reality of sexual harassment, trauma, feelings of grief, and the
needs of survivors.
The
exhibition features a diverse range of work ranging from a short film, an
interactive installation, quilt, prints, painting, zines & textiles.
It will take place at the Image Collective Gallery on the 2nd
floor of Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ.
Rape Crisis Scotland: Spirit of rights set out in WF must be honoured
This morning (19th October 2018) saw the High Court of Justiciary hear a petition to the Nobile Officium against an order for the recovery of a rape complainer’s medical records.
This action, by the complainer, is an unusual one - a legal route of last resort.
Significantly, the 3 bench panel of judges found that someone has a right to appeal any decision to access their medical records.
They quashed an order from Lord Burns that ALL her medical records should be accessed by a Commissioner (a solicitor) to prepare a report for the defence.
Rape Crisis Scotland welcomes landmark judgement
First successful civil damages action for rape following a criminal trial
Rape Crisis Scotland joins the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre (SWRC) and JustRight Scotland (JRS) in welcoming today’s judgement of Sheriff Weir QC in AR v Stephen Daniel Coxen.
Ms M has succeeded in establishing in civil proceedings that she was raped when she was a student at St Andrew’s University in 2013. She took this action because she felt let down by the criminal justice system – in which a jury returned a “not proven” verdict in December 2015 - and felt she had to pursue justice herself.
New figures reveal record levels of sexual crime in Scotland
New figures released today show record levels of sexual crime
Key figures:
· Reported rape increased by 22% in 2017/18 compared to the previous year
· Reported rape & attempted rapes have increased by 99% since 2010
· In at least 40% of reported sexual offences, the complainer was under 18.
New figures released today by the Scottish Government show record levels of sexual crime being reported to the police. This includes a 22% increase in the number of rapes being reported to the police.
RSSLatest posts
- Remembering Tansy Main
- Sex crimes in Scotland reach second-highest level in 54 years
- RCS calls for the Scottish Government and MSPs to work together to introduce key legislation for survivors of sexual crime
- Changes announced by the Sottish Government to the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill
- Landmark judgment on corroboration in sexual offence cases
