Beyond Debate
I had concerns too - until I understood what was actually being proposed
By Vicki
After experiencing extreme delays in my case as the complainant of sexual offences I made a very conscious decision to waive my anonymity and push for change. It was a leap of faith that I’d be listened to beyond the obvious empathy cases like mine attracts. I didn’t do it for that.
It became clear to me very quickly that my case wasn’t an isolated example of how the justice was failing victims at a systemic level. It was both a relief but upsetting to start to connect with others who had similar experiences. It also made me realise they was strength in numbers. Maybe collectively we could affect change.
Once it was obvious the justice reforms were becoming a reality I felt relieved, and that the government were listening to the victims reality. Well until the government announced the reforms around “removing the right to jury trials” for either way offenses. I was uncomfortable that it pitted complainants and defendants against each other… after feeling that my human rights had been breached, I didn’t want to feel like a reason another person would lose their rights instead, I was adamant I didn’t want to be used as a reference point to explain why it was necessary.
Once I engaged with people who knew what was being proposed I felt a huge sense of reassurance. It was explained in practical and legal terms what the reform actually is and how it will work. Jury trials aren’t being arbitrarily removed, instead they’ll be assessed and allocated a trial pathway. This felt safer and less contentious. It felt like something I could get behind. It safeguards defendants without them being able to use the system to their advantage.
Without radical change such as removing the right to elect for jury trials for either way offences the British justice system will continue to fail and harm to people it’s there to provide justice to. The delays isn’t an abstract problem that only exists in statistic. It destroys lives, psychologically harms and socially isolates in the same real way the crimes themselves do.
Yesterday I was told I was on the wrong side of history for supporting the removal of the defendants right to elect. But here’s the thing, I was on the wrong side of history when my life was held captive by a system that fails me. Pushing for better for who comes after me is the least I could do with my experience. That, to me, isn’t wrong at all.
