Scottish survivors start 'Courtrobe' to provide outfits and stylists for court

Two sexual assault survivors in Scotland, Sarah Lee, 39, and Kayla Poulton, 36, have launched a campaign called CourtRobe to help women feel more confident when giving evidence in court. The initiative provides free clothing and personal shopping support, particularly to women on limited incomes.The two women are working with the Emma Ritch Law Clinic at the University of Glasgow and are seeking clothing donations and shopping vouchers from department stores across Scotland.According to a BBC Scotland report, participating shops would offer free personal shopping appointments, allowing women to choose outfits they feel comfortable wearing.

Staff would also receive specialist training to understand the difficulties faced by sexual assault survivors.For Sarah and Kayla, the idea came from their own experiences of giving evidence. Both had been through the court process and remembered how much they worried about their appearance. They feared that the people listening to their evidence might form opinions about them based on their clothes rather than what they had to say.The two women now want to make that part of the experience easier for others.

They believe that while CourtRobe cannot remove the pressure of giving evidence, having suitable clothes and someone to help choose them could reduce some of the anxiety women face before entering the courtroom.The beginning of CourtRobeSarah described her trial as one of the darkest periods of her life. Alongside the pressure of giving evidence, she found herself repeatedly questioning what she should wear and how she would be judged.She told BBC Scotland News that even small decisions about her appearance became a source of concern.

She wondered whether her clothes should be more covered, how her hair would look and what impression she might make on others."There's just all these questions, how will my hair look? You're anticipating that people are going to put you on trial," she said.Kayla faced similar worries, although her concerns centred on particular clothing choices. She considered wearing a dress but feared it might be seen as too provocative.

She also questioned whether heels would be suitable.Eventually, she chose suit trousers and a blouse. However, that did not put an end to her worries, as she then became concerned that the blouse might be see-through."You just overthink. You don't want people to think, oh, she deserved that. Oh, if she dressed like that, then, well, she deserved it," she said.Can clothing influence how witnesses are judged?The concerns raised by Sarah and Kayla are not limited to their personal experiences.

As per the report, Rape Crisis Scotland pointed to research suggesting that a witness's appearance can influence how their evidence is received in sexual assault trials.Nicola Love, a spokeswoman for the organisation, said research involving juries had shown that witnesses could be considered less credible if their clothing was regarded as revealing or provocative.Love said it was therefore understandable that women might be especially worried about how they would be perceived while giving evidence.She also highlighted the financial difficulties associated with attending court, saying the costs involved were not discussed enough.You use AI every day.

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