Calls for new law to protect privacy of sex abuse victims

Measures to spare victims in sex abuse cases the added pain of having deeply personal details disclosed to their abusers have been recommended by the Law Reform Commission.

The commission has said that pre-trial hearings should take place between the prosecution and defence to decide what information is absolutely necessary to share, for fear that full disclosure to an accused person, and potentially the public as a consequence, could cause further harm to the victim.

Concerns have been raised, particularly in sexual offence cases and especially those involving children, where the rules on full disclosure mean sensitive therapeutic and counselling records may be divulged.