The past several decades have witnessed a shift toward victim interests being considered and incorporated within adversarial systems of justice. More recently, some jurisdictions have somewhat contentiously considered granting sex offences complainants’ legal representation at trial. In Australia, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse (2017), the Royal Commission into Family Violence (2016) and the Victorian Law Reform Commission (2016) considered the potential role of legal counsel for complainants in the criminal trial process. While contrasting quite significantly with the traditional adversarial framework—which sees crime as contested between state and accused—legal representation for complainants is not unprecedented, and victims may already retain counsel for limited matters. Despite broader use of victim legal representation in the United States, Ireland and Scotland, and as recently considered by the Sir John Gillen Review in Northern Ireland, legal representation for sex offences complainants is only just developing in Australia. Notwithstanding recent reference to legal representation for complainants where sexual history or reputational evidence may be adduced, there exists no sufficient guidance as to how such representation may be integrated in the Australian criminal trial context. This article explores the implications of introducing such counsel in Australia, including the possible role of non-legal victim advocates.

中文翻译：

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受害者法律代理与对抗性刑事审判：对严重性暴力投诉人第三方律师建议的批判性分析

过去几十年见证了受害者利益被考虑并纳入对抗性司法系统的转变。最近，一些司法管辖区考虑在审判中授予性犯罪投诉人的法律代理权，引起了一些争议。在澳大利亚，对虐待儿童的机构反应皇家委员会（2017 年）、家庭暴力皇家委员会（2016 年）和维多利亚州法律改革委员会（2016 年）考虑了法律顾问在刑事审判过程中为投诉人提供的潜在作用。与传统的对抗性框架形成鲜明对比——将犯罪视为国家和被告之间的竞争——原告的法律代理并非史无前例，受害者可能已经就有限的问题聘请了律师。尽管在美国、爱尔兰和苏格兰更广泛地使用受害者法律代理，而且正如最近北爱尔兰的约翰·吉伦爵士评论所认为的那样，性犯罪投诉人的法律代理只是在澳大利亚才刚刚发展。尽管最近在可能会援引性历史或名誉证据的情况下提到了投诉人的法律代理，但对于如何将此类代理纳入澳大利亚刑事审判背景，尚无足够的指导。本文探讨了在澳大利亚引入此类律师的影响，包括非法律受害者辩护人可能扮演的角色。性犯罪投诉人的法律代理才刚刚在澳大利亚发展起来。尽管最近在可能会援引性历史或名誉证据的情况下提到了投诉人的法律代理，但对于如何将此类代理纳入澳大利亚刑事审判背景，尚无足够的指导。本文探讨了在澳大利亚引入此类律师的影响，包括非法律受害者辩护人可能扮演的角色。性犯罪投诉人的法律代理才刚刚在澳大利亚发展起来。尽管最近在可能会援引性历史或名誉证据的情况下提到了投诉人的法律代理，但对于如何将此类代理纳入澳大利亚刑事审判背景，尚无足够的指导。本文探讨了在澳大利亚引入此类律师的影响，包括非法律受害者辩护人可能扮演的角色。