Bid to stop rape victims being quizzed on sexual history
An MP is introducing a private member's bill to limit the cross examination of rape victims about their sexual history, previous behaviour or appearance.
Plaid Cymru MP, Liz Saville Roberts, will introduce the bill on Wednesday.
It comes after the retrial jury in the case of footballer Ched Evans was allowed to hear evidence about the complainant's sexual history.
Ched Evans was cleared of rape last October.
The Bill will replicate the so-called 'Rape Shield Law', which exists in the USA, Canada and Australia.
It will prevent a complainant's sexual history, appearance or behaviour from being used in a trial as an indicator of the victim's character.
Latest statistics show that in 2015/16, there were more than 35,000 rape complaints made to the police, but just over 2,500 resulted in convictions.
Liz Saville Roberts hopes the bill, which has cross party support, will encourage more women to come forward.
Victims charity, Voice4Victims, have worked closely with Ms Saville Roberts on the bill, and their analysis of numerous case studies, which highlighted major loopholes in current law and procedure, contributed to the establishment of the bill.
They looked at cases where rape or attempted rape victims were cross examined about their number of previous sexual partners, affairs they may have been involved in, any history of alcohol abuse or mental health, and their appearance at the time of the alleged offence.
Dame Vera Baird QC undertook an 18 month study which, in 2015, concluded that in over a third of all rape cases heard at Newcastle Crown Court, questions were asked about the prior sexual conduct of the complainant.
In a small number of cases, court rules about cross examination were disregarded, allowing applications for sexual history to be introduced as evidence.
The private members bill will restrict the cross examination in cases such as these, and also, in certain circumstances, prevents the police telling an alleged attacker who the victim is.