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Victims Commissioner Complains About Distressed Questioning of Sexual Violence Victims

The Victims' Commissioner Claire Waxman made a formal complaint to committee chair John Hayes after victims of sexual violence described feeling anxious and distressed during an evidence session conducted by the public bill committee for the Courts and Tribunals Bill. One attendee stated that the "pugnacious" questioning left her "breaking down, sobbing and struggling to breathe." The complaint, escalated to Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani, was supported by Rape Crisis and Women's Aid, who said the adversarial tone risked replicating dynamics survivors of sexual abuse found distressing.