Sexual offence trials regularly rely on ‘rape myths’ and stereotypes of victim-survivors, NSW study finds

Reforms to improve the experience of victim-survivors have not tackled what ‘complainants often find so distressing in these matters’, says Prof Julia Quilter. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Prosecutors and defence lawyers regularly rely on stereotypes about how sexual violence victim-survivors should behave and “rape myths” during sexual offence trials in New South Wales, a study has found.

The study, which undertook the largest analysis of sexual offence trial transcripts in the state in 27 years, found many of the procedural reforms that started in the 1980s to improve the experience of sexual violence victim-survivors in the criminal justice system were working.