Wed. Nov. 15, 2023

Editor, Sir,

Please allow me space in the newspaper to express my concern about trials of rape or other sexual offences, regardless of whether the complainant is an adult or a minor, a female or a male.

While it’s important for trials such as these to be held in-camera to protect the identity of the complainant, it’s my opinion that reporters should not be barred from these trials because they should be experienced enough to know that they should not write anything that reveals the identity of the complainant or leads to the identity of the complainant.

In all my years of doing court reporting, I have never come across a situation in which the identity of the victim of a sexual offence is revealed, whether that person was an adult or a minor, or whether it was a trial at the High Court or the Low Court.

It’s a standard procedure among us court reporters never to reveal the identity of the victim of an offence of a sexual nature or anything that could lead to the identity of the virtual complainant.

In a time when the commission of sexual offences seems to be on the rise, I believe that it’s important to report trials of sexual offenders, especially if there is a conviction. It can be a deterrent to persons who seem to have a penchant for committing sexual offenses.

Signed: Roy Davis