Why Accessing Justice is Challenging for Victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
This report is for anyone interested in understanding the process and challenges faced by a victim-survivor of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence within the formal legal redress mechanism. This research was conducted by the Inside Justice Project’s main implementing partner Women in Need (WIN). It compiles victim survivors’ experiences and contains observations made by legal professionals attached to WIN pertaining to the level of gender sensitivity among formal justice sector actors including the judiciary, prosecutors, and lawyers. Data for the research was collected from selected courts in Colombo, Matara, Galle, Jaffna, and Mullaitivu. The report includes WIN’s observation on positive practices by the formal justice sector when hearing domestic violence and sexual violence cases, gaps in the justice process and provides recommendations for the formal justice sector, government, and non-governmental organizations to advocate for sensitive responses to such cases.
