To Report or Not to Report: Survivor Testimony of the (In)Justice System

To Report or Not To Report: Survivor Testimony of the (In)Justice System sheds light on the real-life experiences of rape survivors in their decision to report, or not to report, what happened to them.

Only a minority of rape survivors report the crime. Why is this?

Only a small proportion of those reported rapes are prosecuted. What’s it like to live through that betrayal of the justice process?

Only a tiny minority of rape prosecutions end in a conviction. How does that feel to a survivor?

With chapters written by survivors who joined the ReConnected Life Community, this book shines a light on the Justice System from those who are rarely heard: the victim. This is the perspective that is silenced by that system, because the System isn’t personal: this is personal.

The final section includes perspectives from professionals supporting survivors in and around the Justice System. With perspectives from Jessica Eaton, Rhiannon Evans, Dr Sarah Heke, Annie Rose and Lynne Tooze, Lucy Allwright and Jennifer Holly, and Dr. Nina Burrowes, they highlight some of the critical issues, and share some thoughts for how to solve them.

The survivor-authors nominated their charities to receive royalties: Aisling Centre, My Body Back, On Road Media, Rape Crisis E&W, RASASC, Rosa, Rowan SARC (Antrim), RSVP, The Monitoring Group, Transformation Powerhouse (A Child Is Crying), Trusthouse Lancashire and Women & Girls' Network.

This book is for those who work in and around the Criminal Justice System. This book is for anyone who might sit on a jury. This book is for the friends and family of survivors. This book is for survivors. And, everyone, especially those who know, needs to take care of themselves when reading. The stories are triggering. The stories are heart-breaking. The stories are true.