What is it. This study looked at the factors that delayed or facilitated disclosure of abuse within children’s forensic interviews at a CYAC in Turkey. This study looked at 403 cases of children under 18 referred to a CYAC for suspected abuse. The authors found that the presence of witnesses or evidence was the most common facilitator of disclosure. The most common…
What is it. This article examined the experiences of young people disclosing sexual abuse to law enforcement and the impact of the justice system. Youth were recruited from Canada and Ireland through community-based sexual abuse/assault agencies, specialized clinics, and CYACs to discuss their disclosure experiences. The authors relied on the voices of young people to…
What is it. Testifying can be extremely stressful for young victims, especially during cross-examination, potentially causing emotional and psychological harm. This journal article explores the effectiveness of Québec’s Child Witness Program (Programme Témoin Enfant—PTE), which supports children and youth who must testify in court following confirmed cases of violence. The PTE aims to reduce this…
What is it. Professionals recognize that the criminal legal process can be harmful for child and youth victims. However, it is important to know how children and youth experience the legal process to develop responsive supports and processes to reduce harm. This literature review summarizes what is known about children and youth’s experiences with the legal process for child sexual abuse cases. The authors identified four themes on what children and youth need to safely participate in the legal process: to be protected, to be…
What is it. This article responds to pressing, systemic issues in how sexual violence is handled in the Canadian criminal justice system. The authors outline persistent issues in sexual violence and justice such as underreporting, low conviction rates, and high rates of “unfounded” cases. Despite legal reforms and increased awareness, many victims still face skepticism…
What is it. There is a presumption that these cases involve “technical” statutory rape, classified as consensual experimentation between peers, which the assault was “technical” due to the age differences among the peers. However, evidence shows that most cases involve significant age gaps, abuse by trusted individuals, and ongoing patterns of coercion and exploitation. This study examined over 500 criminal cases involving 625 female youth to understand how cases are characterized in legal decision-making and whether common…
What is it. This study examined Canadian court decisions from judges in 510 cases of sexual abuse against female youth. The authors wanted to understand sexual abuse cases in court where the victim was legally able to provide consent. In Canada, the legal age of consent is 16 years, however youth as young as 12…