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I want to take my perpetrator to court
Whether to take a perpetrator to court is not a question that many survivors ask themselves on their healing journey.
Many survivors think they cannot go to court because months, years or even decades have passed since the abuse. This is not true. Subject to some timing restrictions, perpetrators can be convicted many years after the abuse.
Other survivors fail to report their abuse because they do not understand the legal system. The system can look pretty scary when you watch ‘The Practice’ or ‘Law and Order’. Some survivors who have gone to court have said that it was more traumatic than the abuse itself.
Many changes have occurred in the legal system to make it easier for victims of crime. It is easier than it used to be although it can still be a very difficult process.
However, it can be worthwhile and empowering– especially if your perpetrator is charged or found guilty. This section attempts to explain the different actions you can take and legal processes involved, so that the decision as to whether or not to report your perpetrator may become easier. Much of what is written relates to past sexual abuse, but it is also relevant to other forms of abuse.
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