cases involving Brittany Higgins and several other complainants.
They all have one similarity...the time since the alleged offences occurred.
I have often wondered why persons who are sexually assaulted do not go to the Police
immediately to report the assault and make a statement.
I was once assaulted several years ago....it was not a sexual assault and no bones were broken...
I was in the Police Station making a statement within half an hour...
Im not suggesting all complainants do this....
What Im suggesting is that if someone is assaulted, then human nature would dictate
they would report the assault very soon.
I feel that a statute of limitations should be created to limit any sexual assault charges
to be laid within a short period of time.
I have also felt for many years that the accused should give evidence in his defence.
At the moment, the rules of evidence state that "he who asserts must prove"
In other words, an accused can have his lawyers cut witnesses to pieces in the witness
box and not even give evidence himself.
I feel that an accused should have to give his side of the "story" and be subject
to cross examination himself....
This is the very reason I feel that many sexual assault offences are not reported.
The "victim" knows that she has to give evidence and the accused does not.
Maybe if the accused was made to give evidence, the entire culture would
change....
One thing is for sure and certain...
Something has to change...
Brittany Higgins will give evidence against her accused.
She will face a torrid time in the witness box...
Her accused will just sit there beside his lawyer and probably wont give evidence...
Will she prove her case beyond reasonable doubt...
Who knows...
It happened two years ago....
