Pulling Strings Doesn't Work in Court: Moving Beyond Puppetry in the Relationship Between Prosecutors and Rape Survivors

Rape survivors, as witnesses, are partners in the criminal justice process, whether prosecutors acknowledge this or not. Minimizing rape survivors' experiences of a second assault requires that prosecutors become responsive to their key witnesses' realities and motivations and provide greater information and support before and during court events. When prosecutors approach witness preparation from the standpoint of their own needs they provide information and instruction that is too little and too late. When prosecutors approach survivors' emotions as resources they may undermine their case by adding to the negative emotional impact of the court event on their witness.