CPS lawyers in England and Wales trivialise teen sexual abuse, report says

Exclusive: Independent examination of rape prosecutions hears lawyers are ‘obsessed’ with credibility of victims and use victim-blaming language

• Analysis: CPS report makes for grim reading – and it’s only the start
  

Lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales have trivialised teen sexual abuse, are “obsessed” about the credibility of rape victims and used victim-blaming language, according to a critical official examination into how the service deals with serious sexual crimes.

The report is the first major independent examination into how the CPS prosecutes rape since a promised overhaul of the criminal justice system. It warns of a reliance on “new myths” about modern sexual practices, and says mental health is still acting as a barrier to victims receiving justice.