Guide launched to support sexual offence complainers in High Court cases

A Guide for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Crime: When Your Case is Being Heard in the High Court has been developed and published by the Emma Ritch Law Clinic.

 Based at the School of Law at the University of Glasgow, the Emma Ritch Law Clinic provides free legal advice and representation to complainers in sexual crime cases.

It is the first resource of its kind in Scotland, seeking to address the lack of accessible and trauma-informed information for “victims-survivors”.

The publication sets out “clear and sensitive information” about each stage of the High Court criminal justice process, aiming to reduce uncertainty by explaining what someone can expect.

A new ‘Charter of Rights for Victim-Survivors’, developed in partnership with Rape Crisis Scotland, has been published alongside the guide.

The charter sets out key rights and entitlements, reinforcing a survivor-centred approach to participation in the justice process.

Both publications have been developed in close partnership with people who have “lived experience” of the criminal justice process, as well as justice practitioners and support organisations.

Eamon Keane, principal solicitor at the Emma Ritch Law Clinic, said: “These public legal education resources aim to act as supportive tools for individuals who are navigating what can be an overwhelming and challenging system, often without adequate support or legal guidance. 

“By improving access to information and enhancing understanding of rights and processes, the project seeks to contribute to a more accessible and informed justice experience for victim-survivors. I would like to offer my thanks to COPFS, Police Scotland, and the lawyers and survivors who all took the time to review this resource for us. Their contributions were invaluable as was the support from Glasgow law students in putting it all together.”