Prosecution of Cases Involving Sexual Crimes without Physical Evidence
Sexual crimes are rising at a concerning rate around the globe. The perpetrators are successfully acquitted of the charges, specifically in cases that lack physical evidence. Forensic evidence can associate a perpetrator with criminal activity. Occasionally, the victims of sexual misconduct do not show up right after the incident because of shame, bias, and stereotypes in society. This causes the loss of essential evidence necessary to prove the crime and the guilt of the perpetrator. Such incidents do not have any witnesses either. Therefore, it becomes hard for the jury to give a verdict in favor of the prosecution. This review article explores the factors, evidence, and initiatives that can help prosecute the victims of sexual crimes in the absence of physical evidence. A multifaceted approach comprised of scientific, psychological, and legal innovation can reduce bias, strengthen prosecution, and enhance legal outcomes, leading to improved conviction rates of sexual crimes.
Authors
- Muhammad Said (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9292-8490)
- Muhammad Hafiz
- Ur Rehman Hifz
- Bakar Abu
- Mehmood Mehral
- Arooj Amna
- Saleem Zarmeen
- Irshad Mudassar
- Faheem Haris
- Ullah Raza
- Kalsoom Ume
Publication Details
- Journal
- Perspectives in Legal and Forensic Sciences
- Published
- 2025-01-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.70322/plfs.2025.10014
- Primary Topic
- Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00