Sexual abuse victims claim the free court records system was “hidden” from them for months

Sexual abuse victims believe they could have been saved from months of suffering after they claim a government plan to give them access to free court records was “hidden” from them for months.

After months of campaigning, a 12-month pilot project was opened in May to allow “thousands” of victims of sexual violence and rape to receive free, usually expensive, court transcripts.

But activists and claimants say they were left in the dark about the opening until just a few weeks ago, leaving many without vital closure for months.

One of the people eligible for the program, who spoke under the name Jane, said she had “no idea” the program had opened until she was informed about it by activists on social media in September.

She expressed concerns that she may never have known she could receive the transcript – which she said will “help her through the darkest days” as the government has not commented on the plan.

“I actually feel like I’ve lost time, and if I had had these judgment comments six months ago, that would have been huge for me,” she said The Independent. “Twitter [now called X] It wasn’t meant to be that I found out. I’ve had some very dark days and this protocol will really help me get through them.”

Jane’s abuser was sentenced to 12 years in prison in August 2022 after being found guilty of rape, coercion and control, voyeurism and witness intimidation during their ten-year relationship.

She requested a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks because she felt “vindicated” at the court hearing and felt someone had “finally” believed her story.

“Hearing someone else say how devastating the abuse I suffered was hugely important to my healing journey,” she said. “It was the best I’ve felt in 10 years, and hearing a strong woman acknowledge how hard my life was made me feel empowered.”

She added: “But you forget what was said very quickly. The feeling continued, but I couldn’t remember the words. Whenever I had difficulties, I tried to remember, but I just couldn’t remember them.

“When I saw that I could get a free transcript of this just weeks ago, I knew immediately that it would help me on my healing journey and help me feel strong and courageous.

“I don’t understand why the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) isn’t shouting about this. It would give survivors like me a sense of power.

“If I could have looked at these notes every time I felt like I was drowning over the last few months, it could have really helped me deal with the trauma and psychological scars he left me with. “

The Ministry of Justice said it announced the launch of the program last December, but admitted that promotion of the pilot had been affected during the general election due to government departments’ inability to proactively publish media to ensure the public service remains neutral.

She added that she has shared details of the pilot with more than 50 support organizations since the election.

The system will allow victims of sexual violence or rape to have judges condemn statements made in court if their perpetrator is found guilty.

Given that victims had previously had to pay large sums to obtain transcripts, a campaign was launched calling for the system to be created.

The co-founder of the Open Justice for All campaign, who wanted to be known only as Charlotte, said activists felt the pilot had been “hidden from them” and expressed disappointment that thousands of those eligible were unnecessarily months away had to make do without transcripts.

“They started the pilot in May and didn’t tell us anything – that’s almost half of the pilot,” she said.

“Going through the court system itself is re-traumatizing for victims, so the fact that the government is hiding something that can give them answers, bring them closure and help them heal just feels like another kick in the teeth to.

“It is another example of incompetence. You [the MoJ] do something to help survivors – why not shout about it?”

Victims of rape or sexual offenses whose perpetrator has been convicted by a Crown Court judge can now apply for free written certification.

Charlotte added that while the scheme “represents a step in the right direction, there is still a lot of work to be done as this pilot is far too narrow”.

The Open Justice for All campaign continues to call for access to free court transcripts for all victims, including summary judges, and calls on the Justice Department to begin recording judges’ court hearings and access to transcripts for the cases heard there to obtain.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “In December the government announced a one-year pilot scheme to enable victims of rape and other serious sexual offenses to request a copy of the judge’s reasons for sentencing at the crown court, free of charge.”

“Since the general election, we have informed a number of victim groups and aid organizations about the pilot project and how to access it and are now looking at what else we can do to raise awareness.”