Rape: Criminal Proceedings
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether they plan to make further updates to the Equal Treatment Bench Book regarding the long-term impact of rape trauma and how this can affect engagement with the criminal justice process.
Answered by Sarah Sackman
To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for judicial training is held by the Lady Chief Justice, Senior President of Tribunals and Chief Coroner. These responsibilities are fulfilled by the Judicial College, which is also responsible for the publication of the Equal Treatment Bench Book.
The Equal Treatment Bench Book is intended to increase judicial office holders’ awareness and understanding of people’s different circumstances and requirements. It includes guidance on ensuring safe and effective participation in the judicial process in cases of sexual offences, including the impact of rape trauma. It is regularly updated to reflect developments in law, practice and procedure, with the last update published in February 2026.
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