CJS Implement Rape

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As a result, increasing pressure has been placed on the CJS to rectify this issue, with emphasis on responding to needs of victims of sexual assault. This has been demonstrated through a myriad of law reforms that have been introduced over the past 40 years (Powell, Henry & Flynn, 2015), first exemplified through the Victims of Offences Act in 1987, followed by the Victims Right Act 2002. Such legislation imposes specific agencies provide information, support and assistance to victims of sexual assault, whilst also providing victims with the opportunity to express their stories through victim impact statements. (Jordan et al., 2009). Despite many reforms, however, many have failed to be effective or have been poorly implemented (Horvath et …show more content…

Implement a clear definition of what sexual abuse and consent includes to current law.

2. Implement rape prevention education into community services, education, health promotion and research to address social norms regarding gender, sexuality and violence, to change attitudes supportive of sexual violence.

3. Jurisdictions in place which limit the ability of defence lawyers to present evidence of a rape’s victims previous sexual history
a. Reframing investigations so attention is taken away from victims' behaviour and rather targets the behaviour of perpetrator

4. Implementation of a statutory time limit in the response to sexual assault to reduce re-victimisation over long periods of time

5. Include a provision for complainant witnesses in sexual violence cases to pre-record their cross-examination evidence in a hearing prior to trial.

6. Operate specialist courts which deal solely to sexual assault cases
a. Implement first as a pilot in district courts throughout NZ, to be evaluated after a couple of years as to whether a sexual violence court should be legislated across the country
b. Specialist judges and lawyers, trained specifically to address complexities or sensitivities that arise from sexual …show more content…

The Crimes Act 1961 doesn’t define what constitutes consent but rather lists circumstances that don’t signify consent. This, therefore, is problematic as it limits consensual sex to a blurred set of guidelines.

OPTIONS:
This report proposes legislative amendments to current law on sexual violence by creating clearer definitions of what sexual abuse includes, as well as adding a definition of consent to expand the knowledge and understandings of what sexual abuse entails.

2. RAPE MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES:
Another contributor which inhibits reporting is false stereotypes and “the real rape myth” held in society about those who rape, those who are raped and the settings in which they occur (Carmody, 1984). These myths are enduring and represent generalisations at odds with factual evidence. The dominant discourse for these stereotypes are understood to be unexpected attacks, committed by strangers, involving weapons and documented injury, in open spaces (Kelly, Lovett & Regan,

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