Freeva welcomed the Attorney General, The Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP, to Leicester today, on the same day that significant changes to the way rape and serious sexual offence cases are handled by courts across England and Wales were announced.
The visit provided an important opportunity for the Attorney General to hear directly from Freeva about the realities facing people affected by domestic abuse, rape and sexual violence across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and from the specialist teams supporting them.
It was particularly timely. As the Government announced that every Crown Court in England and Wales will have at least one specialist courtroom for rape and serious sexual offence cases within the next two years.
Putting the needs of survivors at the heart of the justice system
The changes announced today are intended to reduce delays and improve the experience of victims and survivors navigating the criminal justice system.
Rape and serious sexual offence trials will be prioritised and allocated fixed court dates, rather than being placed on floating lists where hearings can be moved at short notice.
Specialist courtrooms will also include measures designed around the needs of victims, including private entrances and waiting rooms, facilities to pre record evidence and opportunities to observe sentencing remotely. Court staff will receive trauma informed training, and survivors will be provided with a single point of contact.
The scale of the challenge remains significant. Government figures released today show that in 2025, rape cases took an average of 424 days to complete after reaching the Crown Court, with some victims withdrawing before their case was heard.
For Freeva, these are issues our specialist teams understand all too well.
Bringing frontline experience into the conversation
During today’s visit, the Attorney General met members of the Freeva team and heard about the work taking place every day to support people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.
This includes our specialist ISVA and CHISVA services, which support adults, children and young people following rape and sexual violence, including people who choose to report to the police and those who do not.
For someone navigating the criminal justice system after experiencing sexual violence, delays and uncertainty can add considerably to an already difficult experience. Specialist, independent support can help people understand their options, have their voices heard and make informed decisions about what happens next.
Today’s announcement therefore provided an important backdrop to conversations about what a justice system that genuinely responds to the needs of victims and survivors should look like.
A changing justice system
The specialist courts announcement follows other recent changes intended to strengthen the position of victims of rape and serious sexual offences.
Earlier this year, while serving as Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves announced the national rollout of the Early Victims’ Right to Review scheme. Eligible victims can ask for a decision to stop their case to be reviewed by a second prosecutor before that decision becomes final.
Ellie Reeves was subsequently appointed Attorney General on 20 July 2026. As Attorney General, she is the Government’s chief legal adviser and has oversight responsibilities that include the Crown Prosecution Service.
Having the opportunity to discuss these issues directly with the Attorney General was therefore particularly significant for Freeva and the communities we support.
Leicester, This One Is Ours
There is something special about taking part in an event on home ground.
Your family could be waiting along the route. Your colleagues might appear with a slightly embarrassing homemade sign. Someone you know might be handing you water.
And when you cross that finish line at Victoria Park, you’ll know the money you’ve raised is helping a charity supporting people right here across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
That makes every mile mean a little more.
Twenty years of listening
The visit also comes during a landmark year for Freeva as we mark 20 years of supporting people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Over those two decades, services have grown and changed, but listening to the experiences of people affected by abuse has remained at the heart of our work.
From the first conversation with our Helpline, through specialist domestic abuse and sexual violence services, advocacy, counselling, support for children and young people and programmes for those seeking to change harmful behaviours, our work recognises that no two experiences of abuse are the same.
The Attorney General’s visit gave our teams an opportunity to share some of that experience at a time when the way victims and survivors experience the justice system is firmly in the national conversation.
Listening must lead to change
Changes to courtrooms and processes are important, but they form only one part of the response to domestic abuse and sexual violence.
People also need access to specialist services before, during and after any involvement with the criminal justice system. They need to be listened to, believed, treated with dignity and given choices about the support that is right for them.
Freeva will continue to work alongside survivors, communities and our partners across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, while contributing the experience of frontline services to wider conversations about how systems can work better for those affected by abuse.
We would like to thank The Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP, Attorney General, for visiting Freeva and taking the time to meet our teams and hear about their work.
As we mark our 20th year, our commitment remains the same: to listen, to support and to help create lasting change.
Need support?
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, rape or sexual violence, Freeva is here.
Freeva Helpline: 0808 802 0028
Text Support: 07715 994962
Webchat and information: freeva.org.uk
