The double victim: The sexually abused child and the judicial system

The US judicial system continues to dampen the willingness of juvenile victims of sexual abuse to testify against their alleged abuser. A recent example of this continuing double victimization appears in the 1988 US Supreme Court decision of Coy v. Iowa (487 US, 101 L Ed 2d 857, 108 S CT). The rights of minor sexual abuse victims are explored through case law, statutes, legal literature, & historical references as they impact the minor during the judicial process. It is difficult to achieve justice for sexually abused children in a judicial system designed for adults; thus, the sexually abused child remains a double victim. 30 References. Modified HA