News

Specialist court recommended for sexual offences

A cross-justice Review Group, chaired by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, has recommended that a new, national specialist Court with trauma-informed procedures be created to deal with serious sexual offence cases in Scotland.

Sandy Brindley, Chief Executive said: "The conviction rate for rape and attempted rape in Scotland is lower than for any other crime type. This has remained stubbornly the case, despite all previous efforts to address it.

All too often survivors tell us that the process of seeking justice – and in particular their experience in court – is as least as traumatic as the attack(s) itself. It is clear that significant action is needed.

Lady Dorrian’s report is important and necessary. Her recommendations are bold, evidence based, and have the potential to transform Scotland’s response to sexual crime. This is a unique opportunity for Scotland to lead the way internationally in improving access to justice for people who have experienced sexual crime.