ALLOWING vulnerable witnesses to give evidence without being in court could ultimately help protect alleged rape victims from being “re-traumatised” by reliving their ordeal, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has
told MSPs.
The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee is considering a bill which would allow victims in the most serious cases to give pre-recorded evidence instead.
The proposals would initially focus on child witnesses, with a view to then extending provisions to adults deemed to be vulnerable.
Yousaf told the committee this could help to mitigate the potentially damaging impact of victims having to relive their experiences.
He said: “The really big benefit is for children, but also I hope when we extend to adults deemed vulnerable witnesses, is mitigating as best we possibly can the potential to re-traumatise through the court process and the court proceeding.
“That is something we know can have a long-lasting impact. I think some of the evidence I’ve heard in my conversations with the likes of,
for example, Rape Crisis Scotland, would tell me that rape complainers will often say that the court process not just re-traumatised them, but in some respects, was even more traumatic than the actual incident and event itself.
“I think there’s a lot of benefits but the important point is we have to have safeguards there as well. The current safeguards that exist, I think are fairly good, are strong, but of course if there is need for improvement, then of course we should be open-minded to that.”
Yousaf indicated that there would be a phased roll-out of the provisions included in the bill, with each stage of the process evaluated and monitored.
Funding of around £1 million was provided by the Scottish Government in October last year to set up a facility in Glasgow in order to enable evidence to be pre-recorded ahead of court proceedings. Facilities will include vulnerable witness suites with a direct video link to court.
Yousaf indicated that the necessary technology and infrastructure would be provided to allow for expansion of the system across Scotland.
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