"The trial was worse than the rape itself"
Campaigners are calling for more to be done to protect victims during their court case
Last updated 15th Nov 2024
Campaigners are calling for more to be done to protect victims of sexual abuse during their court case with some describing the experience as worse than the actual crime.
The 'Open Justice for All' group are campaigning around UK courts - including in Essex - for people to be able to challenge the decisions judges make and raise complaints about treatment in court.
Charlotte started the campaign after going through the trial process herself.
"I was on the stand for four and a half hours."
She was questioned about everything that happened in her "3 year long abusive, sexually, mentally, physically relationship".
She tell us the judge called her "unreliable" because she "waited 8 months to report the crime".
"This is one of the many rape myths."
"That's what led me to start the Open Justice for All Campaign so I can be the help that I didn't have when I was going through the court system."
Charlotte says she's used her anger to "try and make things better for the victims that come behind" her.
Currently, the judiciary office says you can only make a complaint about the "personal conduct" of judges, for example if they're drunk during court or fall asleep.
"We can only deal with complaints about the personal conduct of judicial office holders. This means that we cannot accept complaints about a judge’s decision or the way a judge has managed a case."
They explain you "might be able to appeal to a higher court" if you believe "the way that a judge has handled a hearing or a judge’s decision was unfair".
One mother we spoke to has been protesting outside courts saying her daughter was left "humiliated" and "hysterical" after being on the stand in a rape trial.
"When she came out after the first day of questioning she was hysterical, she went in for the second day, came out, and felt suicidal.
"The police and ISVA who was with her said they'd never seen such questioning."
She told us, "I complained about the judge and I got a letter back saying you can complain about the judge's behaviour but not about the decisions that they make in court.
"I was so angry, well I just cried."
She told us she wasn't allowed into her daughter's court room because she was a witness.
During the trial, her daughter "collapsed once on the floor outside" when she had a break.
"I could just tell something awful had happened to her but I didn't understand the severity at the time", says the mother, who wants to remain anonymous.
The mother applied for the transcript which she tells us was initially quoted at £22,000.
"Without the transcript, you don't know exactly what goes on. I felt something was wrong but now I know it was wrong. Everybody need these to heal, to move on, many many people can't afford these transcripts."
When asked how her and her daughter are doing now, she replied: "It's been really really difficult; we'll never get over it as a family."
The JCIO have advised anyone whose complaint falls out of their remit, to seek advice from a solicitor, law centre or the Citizens Advice.