Landmark Advice For Child Sex Abuse

New guidelines on dealing with child sex abuse cases represent "the most fundamental attitude shift" in criminal law for many years, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The country's top prosecutor, Keir Starmer, said the way the criminal justice system prosecutes people responsible for sexual offences has matured in the last five years but the latest advice represents the biggest change in a generation. The guide features a list of myths and stereotypes about victims prosecuting lawyers face in the courtroom, such as undermining factors from delays in reporting crimes, inconsistencies of memory and whether victims were under the influence of alcohol or wearing revealing clothing.

Mr Starmer said child sexual abuse cases highlight myths about the behaviour of victims and he confirmed cases would be investigated and prosecuted differently, no matter how vulnerable the victims are. Infamous cases such as the sex abuse gangs in Rochdale and Oxford, the missed opportunity to prosecute Jimmy Savile in 2009 and a prosecutor describing a 13-year-old victim as "predatory" have prompted the new approach to how victims are treated and how cases are presented in court. The Deputy Director of Strategy at the leading children's charity Barnardo's, Alison Worsley, believes the new guidelines are a positive step towards the "wholesale shift in attitudes" needed across the criminal justice system in cases of sexual exploitation of children.

Speak to IBB’s child abuse lawyers on 01895 207835 or 01895 207295 if you’d like to talk to someone in confidence about making child abuse claims. Alternatively, you can send an email with your name and contact information and brief details to PI@ibblaw.co.uk and one of our child abuse solicitors will be able to help you