Closing the Justice Gap for Adult and Child Sexual Assault
Rethinking the Adversarial Trial
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Beschreibung
This book examines the justice gap and trial process for sexual assault against both adults and children in two jurisdictions: England and Wales and New South Wales, Australia. Drawing on decades of research, it investigates the reality of the policing and prosecution of sexual assault offences – often seen as one of the ‘hardest crimes to prosecute’ – across two similar jurisdictions. Despite the introduction of many reform options, satisfactory outcomes for victims and the public are still difficult to obtain. Cossins takes a new approach by examining the structures of power within the trial process, to show how and at what points that process is weighted against complainants of sexual assault, in order to make thought-out suggestions for reform. She argues that this justice gap is a result of myths and misconceptions about rape which can be eliminated by a radical replacement of the adversarial system with a trauma-informed system. This book takes into consideration the psychological literature and speaks to students and academics across subjects including law, criminology, gender studies and psychology, and to practitioners in law and victim services, and policy-makers.
This book examines the justice gap and trial process for sexual assault against both adults and children in two jurisdictions: England and Wales and New South Wales, Australia. Drawing on decades of research, it investigates the reality of the policing and prosecution of sexual assault offences – often seen as one of the ‘hardest crimes to prosecute’ – across two similar jurisdictions. Despite the introduction of the many reform options detailed in the book, satisfactory outcomes for victims and the public are still difficult to obtain.
Cossins takes a new approach by examining the nature and effects of adversarialism on vulnerable witnesses, jury decision-making and the structures of power within the trial process, to show how, and at what points, that process is weighted against complainants of sexual assault, in order to make evidence-based suggestions for reform. She argues that this justice gap is a result of a moralisticadversarial culture which fosters myths and misconceptions about rape and child sexual assault, thus requiring the prosecution to prove a complainant’s moral worthiness. She argues this culture can only be eliminated by a radical replacement of the adversarial system with a trauma-informed system. By reviewing the relevant psychological literature, this book documents the triggers for re-traumatisation within an adversarial trial, and discusses the reform measures that would be necessary to transform the sexual assault trial from one where the complainant’s moral worthiness is ‘on trial’ to a fully functioning trauma-informed system. It speaks to students and academics across subjects including law, criminology, gender studies and psychology, and practitioners in law and victim services, as well as policy-makers.
Presents decades of research including the 2019 NSW Law Reform Commission report First book of its kind to examine key reform issues associated with trial processes specifically Appeals to academics, students and policy makers in the area of sexual assault and legislative reform
Autor*in
Anne Cossins
Themen in »Closing the Justice Gap for Adult and Child Sexual Assault«
Sexual assualt Trauma Rape myths Trial Process Legislative reform Sex offenders criminal justice socio-legal criminal trial sexual violence sexual abuse human rights victims victimology policing