How can we provide justice for sexual assault victims beyond criminal trials?

Louise Milligan’s new book, Witness, reports how traumatic the criminal justice system can be for victim-survivors of sexual assault.

This is not the first time we have heard how official responses to sexual violence can cause harm.

As the child abuse royal commission pointed out:

the criminal justice system is unlikely ever to provide an easy or straightforward experience for a complainant.

The Victorian Law Reform Commission is currently looking at how to improve responses to sexual offences. As part of this, it is seeking submissions on whether there are other ways — beyond criminal trials — to better meet the needs of people who have experienced sexual harms.

The limits of criminal trials

Criminal trials may hold offenders to account…