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sexual assault trials

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I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since my early teens so when I found out I was going to her Dublin show on the Reputation tour I was overjoyed. I couldn’t help but shed a few happy tears.

I know she isn’t everyone's cup of tea, some people find her fake, others think her music is cringey, but one thing you must applaud her for is how she opened up about being a victim of sexual assault.

August 14 marked the one year anniversary of the day the jury sided in the singer’s favour in her case against former radio host David Mueller.

 

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As she looked out at a crowd of loving fans, Taylor opened up about the trial: “A year ago I was not playing in a stadium in Tampa, I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado. This is the day the jury sided in my favor and said that they believed me.”

The Delicate singer welled up as she spoke about all of the victims who were ignored and pushed aside. The ones who weren’t taken seriously. The ones who weren’t listened to.

 

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“I just think about all the people that weren’t believed and the people who haven’t been believed, and the people who are afraid to speak up because they think they won’t be believed,” Taylor said.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry to anyone who ever wasn’t believed because I don’t know what turn my life would have taken if somebody didn’t believe me when I said something had happened to me.”

The You Belong With Me continued: "I just wanted to say we have so much further to go, and I’m so grateful to you guys for being there for me for what was really a horrible part of my life.”

Taylor thanked her fans for seeing her through all the good times- the number one songs, the sold out tours and the awards- and the bad times- the breakups, the online abuse and the groping trial.

She addressed the crowd: “I wanted to say that I’m so happy to see you and to have you and know you through the ups and the downs in my life.”

The singer struggled to hold back her tears during the moving speech: “Sorry I just haven’t really talked about it, and so I’m just not composed at all.”

Following the Look What You Made Me Do singer's tear-jerking speech, fans held up $1 notes to support Taylor and survivors of sexual abuse. 

Reasons like this remind me of why I have adored the Call It What You Want singer since I was a teenager. Sure, you may not enjoy her music, but her courage is something we should all appreciate.

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A multi agency report has been conducted, investigating how sexual assault cases are conducted in Ireland.

The report was conducted by experts from the Gardai and the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, along with a number of others.

The goal of the report was to find ways to improve victim support during a trial. 

Ultimately, the report recommended that victims of sexual assault be cross-examined in pre-recorded sessions, rather than in court in front of a jury. 

Entitled ‘Hearing Every Voice – Towards a New Strategy on Vulnerable Witnesses in Legal Proceedings’ the report made a number of recommendations.

For example, it suggested that pre-trial hearings should be placed on a statutory footing and “special measures” should be available to "vulnerable accused persons".

As previously mentioned, pre-recording cross-examinations were discussed, and it was recommended that they be piloted. 

Caroline Counihan, who is the RCNI’s legal director, said pre-recording would lessen trauma for victims of sexual assault. 

“Our criminal justice system is based on the premise that face-to-face live evidence at trial is the best evidence which can be obtained.

“Modern psychological research does not support this conclusion, particularly since the advent of high-resolution pre-recorded video and video-link solutions,” Counihan said.

“Pre-recording a Garda statement soon after a complaint has been made maximises the potential of the witness to recall, fully and accurately, what happened, to give his or her best evidence and to help minimise the risk of secondary traumatisation by reducing exposure to the adversarial criminal justice process itself.

“In our view, it is time that the limitations of the live evidence only approach – often months or years after the alleged crime took place – were addressed.”

 

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Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has said that he will review the way in which sexual assault cases are handled. 

Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr Flanagan said that we would consider allowing alleged victims to have their own legal representation. 

Currently, complainants act as witnesses for the State’s prosecution and do not have their own legal team.

'I will commence consultations with women’s groups and the legal profession without delay,' he told The Irish Times.

'I want the Domestic Violence Bill enacted within weeks, and the Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Act and the Victims of Crime Act are being rolled out offering greater protection.'

'I will study what more can be done to protect women and girls.'

He is aiming to review the way such sensitive trial operate. 

The decision comes after days of country-wide protests in solidarity with survivors of rape and sexual assault. 

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