A Lawyer in Your Corner
Rape and sexual assault survivors across England and Wales will soon be able to access free independent legal advice
Victim-survivors of rape and sexual assault across England and Wales will soon be able to access free, specialist independent legal advice through a new national service led by the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ).
Launching in early 2027, the service will be delivered by CWJ, Rape Crisis England & Wales, and Victim Support, and funded by the Ministry of Justice.
It will provide adult survivors of rape and sexual assault with independent advice about their rights within the criminal justice system, including around excessive requests for personal information, poor-quality police investigations and the Victims’ Right to Review.
For survivors trying to navigate an already complex and often overwhelming process, that independence matters.
At present, someone accused of rape can access legal advice from arrest through to trial. The victim, however, is not a party to the criminal case and is largely treated as a witness for the prosecution.
That can leave survivors attempting to understand decisions about their case, challenge inappropriate requests or raise concerns about an investigation without having their own legal adviser in their corner.
The new service will not provide representation during the criminal trial itself. Still, it could give survivors something that has been missing for far too long: access to someone whose role is specifically to advise them.
The national scheme builds on a model CWJ developed in 2019 and later tested through a London pilot with Women and Girls Network. An evaluation published in July 2026 highlighted its trauma-informed approach and the impact legal interventions could have on both survivors’ experiences and justice outcomes.
This matters in a system where confidence can erode long before a case reaches court.
Understanding your rights should not depend on knowing the right person, finding a specialist solicitor yourself or having the confidence to challenge an institution alone. Making independent legal advice available nationally will not fix every problem survivors experience within the justice system.
But it is a meaningful shift towards recognising that victims need more than information leaflets and signposting. They sometimes need specialist legal support that can challenge decisions, protect their rights, and help them make informed choices about what happens next. For a system that has too often expected survivors to navigate complexity on their own, this progress is very welcome.
The service is expected to launch in early 2027, with further information on eligibility, referrals and access to follow.
