Shannon felt a ‘sense of doom’ as she sought justice for sexual assault. A new NSW program hopes to alleviate that
A new program in New South Wales aims to provide dedicated legal support for sexual assault victim-survivors. The initiative addresses the isolation and complexity victims often face when navigating the justice system.
Why it matters
It highlights systemic failures in legal support for victims of violent crime and the push for more empathetic, specialized judicial processes.
Shannon Stokes found a lack of appropriate legal assistance as she navigated the justice system, a world she said felt ‘so alien’ to her. Shannon Stokes found a lack of appropriate legal assistance as she navigated the justice system, a world she said felt ‘so alien’ to her. New South Wales Shannon felt a ‘sense of doom’ as she sought justice for sexual assault. A new NSW program hopes to alleviate that Exclusive: Dedicated service to support sexual assault victim-survivors as they navigate legal system to open in NSW
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Prefer the Guardian on Google It took Shannon Stokes two years and 11 days to successfully prosecute her former boyfriend for sexual assault and domestic violence offences. The lengthy trial left her feeling as though “there wasn’t going to be an end in sight”.
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