What to know before reporting sexual violence to police

Karen Simpson: Reporting quickly doesn’t equate to reporting effectively. There are a lot of cases before the courts currently where there are conflicting statements, or a survivor has gone and made their report immediately after the assault or close to when the assault occurred, and then over time they end up getting treatment or support. New details come to mind, they go to the police station and report again.

They have to go through that experience again. And then, at trial, there are two statements for the defence lawyers to use to put to the survivor and test their credibility and reliability.

Taking the stand in a sexual assault case is inherently traumatic. So, to then be questioned about why you have these two statements and the inconsistencies between them makes it even more difficult.

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