UK to Establish Special Courts for Sexual Violence Cases
Specialised courts to handle rape and other sexual violence cases will be established by the UK government within the next two years. This move is claimed to provide victims with greater access to justice.
Each specialised courtroom will be designed to include at least one room dedicated to those with victim status. In this room, individuals can follow proceedings remotely and present evidence and testimony via video link. Victims will also be provided with separate entrances and waiting areas to ensure separation from defendants. Detailed arrangements regarding access and room layouts will be adapted to the architectural design of each court building.
The establishment of these specialised courts has been welcomed by Rape Crisis England and Wales, an advocacy group that supports victims of sexual violence in the UK. They described it as a “significant step forward” that aligns with long-standing demands. Ciara Bergman, leader of the charity, stated that the move reflects the urgency of ensuring courts meet the needs of survivors to ensure justice.
Rape Crisis England and Wales has previously criticised the low number of sexual violence cases reaching trial. They also highlighted how delays in the judicial process have prevented victims from reporting crimes or seeking justice. According to data from March 2024, only 2.8% of all rape reports recorded by UK police proceeded to court. Sexual violence cases are also noted as crimes that require the longest investigation periods.
According to the UK Office for National Statistics, between 2017 and 2020, only one-sixth of rape and attempted rape victims reported to the police. More than one-third of victims felt the police could not assist them, and many hesitated to seek justice due to the fear of a humiliating process.
Alex Davies-Jones, a minister-equivalent in the UK government specialising in victims of sexual violence, described the formation of these new courts as an effort to reduce the case backlog. At the UK High Court level, there were 80,098 outstanding criminal cases as of the end of March 2026. Of that figure, 15,373—approximately 19%—were alleged sexual violence cases, according to Rape Crisis England and Wales.
Minister Davies-Jones noted that providing specialised courtrooms for survivors is “not enough” and is not the sole solution to the backlog. He emphasised that the government must also swiftly pass regulatory designs for courts to improve timeliness, effectiveness, and crime prevention.
The UK Conservative Party remarked that the formation of these specialised courts had been long delayed, adding that the move should not be accompanied by restrictions on the number of jurors involved in verdicts.
This new policy within the UK Ministry of Justice is expected to cost approximately £23 million (around Rp55 of 550 billion). As part of this initiative, the UK government will also provide specialised training for court staff, focusing on trauma-informed approaches. Moving forward, each victim will be supported by a dedicated court staff member.
Starting this October, the UK government stated that every sexual violence case will be assigned a fixed schedule. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that these cases will no longer be placed on fluctuating schedules, claiming the move is a way for the government to “rebalance the scales of justice and prioritise victims.”
Currently, there are 84 High Court buildings across England and Wales containing approximately 500 courtrooms. Minister Davies-Jones stated that the government aims to achieve at least one specialised survivor room in every court building by 2028. If building architecture prevents this, staff must ensure a trauma-informed approach, such as scheduling different arrival times and separate rooms for evidence presentation for victims and defendants.
The UK government claimed these changes follow recommendations from Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who showed