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Rebalancing the scales: Is there a better way to get justice for rape victims?

By Sally Blundell
New Zealand Listener·
14 mins to read

Jury trials for rape can be traumatic for victims, and have low conviction rates. But are calls for judge-only trials warranted? By Sally Blundell.

Sorry. Sorry for not remembering, sorry for crying. Sorry for not understanding the often-archaic language of the courtroom.

Again and again, in transcripts from adult rape trials in New Zealand courtrooms, the complainant apologises.

"It is common, especially if people get upset or they don't understand," says Elisabeth McDonald, an adjunct law professor at the University

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