Following from the recent report of a young woman who has waited 5 years for her abuser to appear in court, BBC Radio Foyle has obtained the latest figures from the Department of Justice that show more than 70 sexual offences cases have taken more than five years to come before a court. Almost 2,000 cases are currently going through the criminal justice system as of May 2022, with more than 180 cases still not making it to court three years after they became active cases.

These figures represent a dire need for criminal justice reform in line with the recommendations from the Gillen Review, including implementing radical steps to streamline case management and combat excessive delays in hearing cases. Nexus call on the Department of Justice and Ministers to institute these reforms in order to protect victims from years of re-traumatisation. Nexus is passionate about creating a society free from sexual abuse and trauma. The first step in which is breaking the silence by raising awareness, challenging myths and ensuring victims and survivors get justice.

If you have been affected by this story, please contact Nexus at 028 9032 6803 or by email at info@nexusni.org. You can visit our website at https://nexusni.org/ for our confidential self-referral form. You can also contact the 24/7 Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline at 0808 802 1414 or by email at help@dsahelpline.org. The website for the Helpline is https://dsahelpline.org/.