Arabic version: خطط لإنشاء محاكم متخصصة في قضايا الاغتصاب بجميع أنحاء إنجلترا وويلز

According to BBC News, specialist courts for rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years, following an announcement by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Every crown court will have at least one courtroom set up to hear such cases. Victims will be able to watch proceedings remotely and give evidence by video link from a separate room. Private entrances and waiting rooms will also be provided to separate victims from defendants, where building architecture allows.

The measures are expected to cost about £23m from the Ministry of Justice budget. Court staff will receive trauma-informed training, and each survivor will be assigned a single point of contact. From next month, trials will receive fixed dates rather than being placed on floating lists.

Rape Crisis England and Wales called the plans a “significant step forward”. Its chief executive, Ciara Bergman, said the reforms reflected the urgency of making courts fit for purpose and able to meet the needs of victims and survivors.

Burnham said prosecution rates for rape remained “shamefully low” and that many victims waited years for justice. The Conservatives said addressing delays to criminal rape trials was long overdue, while shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy urged Labour to scrap plans to restrict jury trials.