“It’s my story and no one cares about me:” subjective experiences of youth sexual assault victims in the criminal justice process

The continuing prevalence of child sexual abuse has raised questions about the interests of victimized children and youth involved in the criminal justice process. Current knowledge typically revolves around their testimony, and it is usually concerned with their reliability as witnesses. Little is known about the youth’s subjective narratives and meaning making of the criminal justice process. The present paper examines the subjective experiences of twelve young victims of sexual assault who were involved in criminal trials against their offenders, from initial disclosure of their victimization until the final sentencing handed by the court. Predictability, victiminclusiveness, and relationality were identified as elements that can make the criminal justice process an easier and potentially positive experience for them. Levels of cooperation, exposure, and active involvement in the criminal justice process varied among participants and throughout the process.