Rape Survivors To Get Private Court Facilities Under New UK Reforms

Rape survivors in England and Wales will be provided with private entrances and waiting rooms at Crown Courts under new government reforms aimed at reducing delays and improving support for victims.

The changes were announced on Monday, September 21, 2026, by the UK Ministry of Justice in a statement issued by Lord Chancellor Alex Norris and Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Under the reforms, every Crown Court in England and Wales will have at least one courtroom specially equipped to handle rape and serious sexual offence cases within the next two years.

The specialist courtrooms will include private waiting areas and entrances for victims, as well as facilities for pre-recording evidence and allowing survivors to observe sentencing remotely.

Rape and serious sexual offence cases will also be prioritised, with trials assigned fixed dates rather than being placed on floating lists, which can result in hearings being moved at short notice.

The government said the measures were designed to address lengthy delays in the criminal justice system, with rape cases taking an average of 424 days to conclude after reaching the Crown Court in 2025.

Burnham said victims of rape and serious sexual offences had been let down by the justice system for too long, noting that prosecution rates for rape remained low while some victims waited years for their cases to be concluded.

“For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system. Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the reforms would put greater emphasis on victims, while acknowledging that improving prosecution alone would not be enough to tackle sexual violence.

“These changes are long overdue and will make a significant difference, but focusing on prosecution alone will not be enough. So as well as ensuring victims get justice, we will step up action to prevent these horrific crimes from happening in the first place,” Burnham said.

Norris said survivors had for too long been left to navigate the criminal justice system without adequate support.

“Victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt they’ve been left alone facing the criminal justice system for too long. They have been treated as cases to process and not as people to support,” he said.

The reforms will also require court staff to undergo trauma-informed training, while the government will trial a system that gives victims of sexual offences a single point of contact throughout their court proceedings.

A new Rape Justice Taskforce will also be established to bring together criminal justice leaders to address postponed rape trials and challenge what the government described as myths that can contribute to victims withdrawing their cases.

Rape Crisis England & Wales welcomed the measures, with its Chief Executive Officer, Ciara Bergman, saying they included several reforms the organisation had advocated for over the years.

She said the package represented an important step towards making courts more responsive to the needs of victims and survivors.

The organisation also welcomed measures aimed at improving trial efficiency and enabling survivors to participate in and observe proceedings more easily.

The reforms come as the UK government pursues its pledge to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

Earlier in September, Burnham announced plans for every police force in England and Wales to have dedicated rape and sexual offence investigation teams by the end of 2027.

The government said it had committed more than £1 billion to supporting victims of violence against women and girls since taking office, alongside measures including domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms and new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.

The latest measures follow public campaigning by Charlotte Nichols, who has spoken about her experience and called for improved support for victims and survivors of rape and serious sexual offences.

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