Sexual assault case processing: The more things change, the more they stay the same

One of the goals of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is to end violence against women and girls in all countries. An important component of this goal is ensuring that all crimes of violence against women and girls are taken seriously by the criminal justice system and that police...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal for crime, justice and social democracy justice and social democracy, 2020-01, Vol.9 (1), p.86-94
Main Author: Spohn, Cassia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ARREST
Arrests
Assaults
Convictions
Crimes against
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
criminal justice system
Law and legislation
Rape
Rape victims
Sex crimes
sexual assault
SEXUAL OFFENCES
Social aspects
United Nations. Commission on the Status of Women
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Violent crime
Women
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Summary:One of the goals of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is to end violence against women and girls in all countries. An important component of this goal is ensuring that all crimes of violence against women and girls are taken seriously by the criminal justice system and that police, prosecutors, judges and jurors respond appropriately. However, research detailing how cases of sexual assault proceed in the criminal justice system reveals that this goal remains elusive, both in the United States and elsewhere. The rape reform movement ushered in changes to traditional rape law that were designed to encourage victims to report to the police and to remove barriers to arrest and successful prosecution. However, four decades after this reform, victims are still reluctant to report sexual assaults to the police, and arrest, prosecution and conviction rates for sexual assault cases are shockingly low. Reversing these trends will require policy changes that are designed to counteract the stereotypes and myths underpinning sexual assault and sexual assault victims.
ISSN:2202-8005
2202-7998
2202-8005
DOI:10.5204/ijcjsd.v9i1.1454