From Bystander to Participant: Recognising and protecting victims by providing legal advice and legal representation [pdf, 664 KB]
...that a distressed complainant may invoke greater sympathy from the jury” (Killean, 2021, p. 176). Further, court judges cannot be relied on to prevent any intrusive or inappropriate questioning as they need to be perceived as objective to avoid appeals and have other interests to consider such as the accused’s fair trial rights. Thus, victims continually feel disempowered, excluded and unsupported. Further, such treatment can re-traumatise them and potentially cause secondary vict...