What is the role of the victim in court?
If you are a direct victim of the crime, the Crown attorney will usually call you as a witness against the accused, even though you have provided a written or video-taped statement to the police. If you receive a subpoena, you must testify in court even if the accused is your spouse. If you are the victim of a sexual assault and the accused or defence counsel makes an application for production to see private records about you (for example, personal journals, counselling or medical records, social service or employment records), you must be informed of the application and are permitted to speak, or have a lawyer speak for you, at the application hearing. Victims of crime have the right to have a Victim Impact Statement considered by the judge when deciding a sentence for the offender. It is a written statement, in your own words, describing how the crime has affected you. You can present it in writing only or read it at the sentencing hearing. You can be questioned in court on any of t
