Rape on Trial: Episode 1

The perception of how rape happens is changing, with 90 per cent of victims saying they know their attacker. Stacey Dooley meets four women who have reported being raped by someone they know - and follows their emotional journey as they fight to be believed in a system under immense strain. 

When Stacey first meets Jessie, Emma and Becca in 2022, their cases have been taken up by the Crown Prosecution Service, but they are all playing a waiting game, with delays stretching from months into years. As they navigate barrister strikes, postponed trials and long waits for their day in court, Stacey witnesses first-hand the impact this has on their lives and their loved ones around them. 

In Kent, Stacey meets Jessie, who was 22 when she reported being raped throughout their relationship by an ex-boyfriend, while she was asleep. She explains to Stacey that she had suppressed what happened to her during her relationship, and it was only after she received a Facebook message from his ex-girlfriend describing a similar experience that Jessie was able to open up about what she alleges happened to her. After waiting almost a year and a half, Jessie gets the call to say that, despite the barrister strikes, the trial is still scheduled for the following week. Stacey goes to court to listen to the opening statements, only to discover the trial has been postponed at the last minute. Stacey is at a loss as to what this means for the women. As Jessie's frustration grows, she questions whether she can cope with the process any longer, confiding in Stacey that she is close to retracting her statement. 

When Stacey meets Emma, 19, it's been two years since she reported being orally raped by a fellow student at college. Her trial has already been postponed three times when Stacey meets with her. She goes on to reveal the emotional toll the alleged assault has taken, explaining how she once blamed herself and kept the assault secret. 

Emma confided in her parents, who encouraged her to report to the police. After she has taken the stand and been cross-examined, she meets up with Stacey and explains the lengths to which the defence have tried to pick apart her credibility and questions whether the jury will believe her word against his. With the verdict in, will she get the outcome she is hoping for? 

Meanwhile, Becca, 22, reported her alleged assault eight months after it happened, supported by her new boyfriend, Joe. After finding out her trial is being postponed, Stacey calls Becca and discovers she's determined to push back. She has decided to write directly to the judge, pleading for them to help people like herself who have been brave enough to come forward but are being thwarted by the system. But will it be enough to bring her trial forward? And when will Jessie get the day she hopes for in court