Call for sex case corroboration rules to be scrapped
Campaigners to meet Justice Secretary this week
Last updated 7th Mar 2021
PRESSURE is growing on the Scottish Government to scrap the rules around corroboration when reporting sex offences.
Scots law requires two independent pieces of evidence to bring a case to court. Campaigners have long claimed the burden of proof in sexual crimes is too high.
In 2018-19, there were 2,255 rapes and attempted rapes reported in Scotland, but only 247 were prosecuted.
Emma Bryson is one of three women who set up Speak Out Survivors - they're meeting the justice secretary Humza Yousaf this week.
She said: “What we’re really hoping for is that Humza might be willing to make a clear statement of intent that corroboration will be reviewed in the next parliament
“Assessments of evidence are made on the basis of quality so if you’ve got good quality evidence that would form the basis of a prosecution. What we are arguing for is that this should also apply in Scotland.
“Something like 90 per cent of sexual offences never reach prosecution and the most common reason for these cases not being taken forward is because these very technical requirements have not been met.
SNP ministers had previously proposed abolishing the need for corroboration. The proposal was also backed the Crown Office, Police Scotland and Rape Crisis Scotland.
However, the plans were dropped in 2015 after opposition from High Court judges and a number of criminal lawyers, who warned it could result in miscarriages of justice.