Closed petition Provide victims of the most severe sexual crimes anonymity throughout trial.

Closed on 22 May 2018

Currently victims of crimes under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 are given lifetime anonymity from the media. Despite attempts to fully provide protection during trial details of the victims name are made available to the accused; even in cases of serious sexual assault by a stranger.

This petition calls for other means of identifying victims such as pseudonym, case number or photo to be considered.

Sexual assaults are crimes of power and control, a name is a key part of personal identity so giving the accused the victim’s name adds to the assault. Much of what you do or are is linked to your name, having it makes it easy to identify, locate or contact someone.

Using a victim’s name within courts would seem to contravene Article 8 of the Human Rights Act.