Opinion: Justice delayed really is justice denied in rape trials - this is a big issue in Ireland

Dr Susan Leahy IN RECENT YEARS, much attention has been paid to sexual offence trials and how best to minimise the trauma experienced by complainants of rape and sexual abuse as they journey through the criminal justice system.

However, beyond the discussion of specific legal reforms, the concern raised most often by legal professionals and court accompaniment workers alike was on delay, with this issue specifically highlighted by a majority of the legal professionals and all of the court accompaniment workers who were interviewed for the study.

Above all, accompaniment workers in this study highlighted how the delay in the legal process is devastating for complainants whose lives are put on hold while they wait to have their case heard. Healing and closure can only truly be achieved once the trial process is behind them. Until then, complainants must constantly be mindful that they will need to relive their experience in the witness box as part of the trial process.

Indeed, tackling delay is vital to maximising justice in these cases not only for complainants but also for defendants. It is in everyone’s interests that these trials are heard as promptly and efficiently as possible.Unfortunately, given the complexities of sexual offence cases, there is no ‘quick fix’ for tackling delay. However, efforts are already underway to try to deal with this issue.

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