Unnecessary access to the therapy notes of rape victims to be prohibited
Amendment introduced to the Victims and Prisoners Bill
The Ministry of Justice announced an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill on 15 May, which will put a stop to unnecessary and intrusive access to the personal materials of rape victims, including therapy notes. The change to the legislation, which aims to better protect victims and provide guidance for the police on when certain information can be requested, looks to end expansive fishing expeditions for information that is often not relevant to an investigation and may be used to undermine the victim’s credibility.