Debate contribution: Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill: Second Stage

Debate contribution by Ms Aoife Finnegan on 30 June 2026.

MLA: Ms Aoife Finnegan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 30 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill: Second Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5653499

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I echo other Members' comments about Geraldine Hanna, the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime, and her team. I was very privileged to be involved in the research, and the subsequent report highlighted what victims and survivors go through when in court, how that re-traumatises them in many ways and the changes that must take place. I know that a lot of work went into that. Clause 26 strengthens protections for complainants in proceedings involving serious sexual offences. The Gillen review was a landmark moment in reforming how serious sexual offence cases are dealt with. Catalysed by the infamous rugby rape trial, it exposed uncomfortable truths about how victims were treated, and it challenged us to build a justice system that delivers justice without compounding trauma. Undoubtedly, progress has been made, but, from the conversations that I continue to have with constituents, victims, survivors and advocacy groups, it is clear that the work is far from finished. For victims of sexual violence, the trauma does not end when the abuse ends. For many, it begins again when they enter the criminal justice system. Survivors speak of the court process as a second ordeal and one in which they face victim-blaming, victim-shaming and outdated myths that have no place in any courtroom. They are asked why they had not reported it sooner; whether they had been drinking; what they were wearing; or whether previous relationships somehow diminish their credibility. No victim should ever feel that they are on trial, yet, for too many survivors, that has been their lived experience. We also know that one of the greatest barriers to reporting sexual violence is the fear that deeply personal information will be exposed in court. Counselling records, medical records and other private information can become the subject of legal argument, leaving victims feeling as though every aspect of their life is under scrutiny. For someone already carrying the trauma of sexual abuse, that prospect can be overwhelming. It is one of the reasons for many victims never coming forward and for others withdrawing before their case reaches trial. That should concern every one of us. Clause 26 is therefore a welcome and important step forward. By allowing complainants to make representation before their private records are disclosed and by providing independent legal representation during those applications, the Bill recognises that victims have rights too: rights to privacy, dignity and respect. Sinn Féin welcomes those proposals but will scrutinise whether they go far enough. The Committee will need to ensure that the legal tests governing disclosure are sufficiently robust to prevent unnecessary intrusion into a complainant's private life, while preserving the defendant's right to a fair trial. Justice must always be fair, but fairness cannot come at the expense of a victim's dignity. It cannot mean forcing survivors to relive their trauma or allowing myths and stereotypes to undermine their credibility. The justice system should never become another source of harm. The true test of the legislation will not be how many clauses it contains; it will be whether more survivors feel able to come forward, whether fewer victims abandon the justice process through fear of re-traumatisation, and whether those who seek justice leave our courts believing that they were treated with dignity, compassion and respect. Every survivor who reports a sexual offence demonstrates extraordinary courage. Our responsibility is to ensure that the justice system honours that courage, not with suspicion or humiliation but with protection, respect and justice. That is the standard that survivors deserve, and it is the standard that the Assembly must strive to achieve.

605 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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