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EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants' Rights?

Year 2025, Volume: 29 Issue: 2, 703 - 724, 28.04.2025

Efe Can Karabulat

https://doi.org/10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661

Abstract

As the European Union adopted a landmark directive aimed at combating violence against women, the implementation of "rape shield laws" is poised to become more prevalent across the continent. These legal provisions, designed to protect the privacy and dignity of sexual assault victims during criminal proceedings, have long been established in common law jurisdictions. However, their introduction represents a significant shift for many European countries, potentially including Turkey as an EU candidate. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of rape shield laws, exploring their rationale, various implementation models, and the challenges they present. The first chapter delves into the historical origins and primary objectives of rape shield laws, highlighting their expanding global application. The second chapter offers a comparative examination of different rape shield frameworks, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. The final chapter critically addresses the controversies and potential pitfalls of these laws, particularly concerning the defendant's right to a fair trial and the principle of equality of arms. By drawing on the experiences of countries with established rape shield laws, this article aims to contribute to the broader discourse on victim protection and legal fairness, providing insights for policymakers and legal practitioners as the EU moves towards this significant legal reform.

Keywords

Rape Shield Laws Victim Privacy Sexual Crimes European Union Right to Have a Fair Trial

References

  • Aydın, Murat, Ceza Hukukunda Mağdur Kavramı, Mağdur Hakları ve Mağdurun İkincil Mağduriyetten Korunması, Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Ankara 2022.
  • Ayres, Sarah G., “Expanding Rape Shield Laws: Breaking through Prejudice for Better Protection of Battered Women”, Cardozo Journal of Law & Gender, 2013, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 821-836.
  • Bacaksız, Pınar/Bayzit, Tuğba, “Yargıtay’ın Cinsel Dokunulmazlığa Karşı Suçlarda İspata Yaklaşımı”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 2019, Vol. 21 No. Special Issue, pp. 379-414.
  • Bohmer, Carol/Blumberg, Audrey, “Twice Traumatized: The Rape Victim and the Court”, Judicature, 1975, Vol. 58, No. 8, pp. 391-399.
  • Cassidy, R. Michael, “Character, Credibility, and Rape Shield Rules”, Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy, 2021, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 145-176.
  • Caringella, Susan, Addressing Rape Reform in Law and Practice, Columbia University Press, New York 2009.
  • Cavallaro, Rosanna, “Rape Shield Evidence and the Hierarchy of Impeachment”, American Criminal Law Review, 2019, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 295-314.
  • Connors, Edward/Lundregan, Thomas/Miller, Neal/McEwen, Tom, Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Research Report, 1996.
  • De Zutter, André/Horselenberg, Robert W. E. A./van Koppen, Peter J, “Motives for Filing a False Allegation of Rape", Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2018, Vol. 47, No 2, pp. 457–464.
  • Douglas, Emily M./Berger, Joshua L., “A Self-report Measure of Legal and Administrative Aggression within Intimate Relationships”, Aggressive Behavior, 2015, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 295-309.
  • Duff, Peter, “The Scottish Rape Shield: As Good as It Gets?”, Edinburgh Law Review, 2011, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 218-242.
  • Flowe, Heather D./Ebbeson, Ebbe B./Putcha-Bhagavatula, Anila, “Rape Shield Laws and Sexual Behavior Evidence: Effects of Consent Level and Women's Sexual History on Rape Allegations”, Law and Human Behavior, 2007, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 159-176.
  • Hazelton, Peter, “Rape Shield Laws: Limits on Zealous Advocacy”, American Journal of Criminal Law, 1991, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 35-56.
  • Hines, Patrick J., “Bracing the Armor: Extending Rape Shield Protections to Civil Proceedings”, Notre Dame Law Review, 2011, Vol. 86, No. 2, pp. 879-904.
  • Hire, Garth E., “Holding Husbands and Lovers Accountable for Rape: Eliminating the Defendant Exception of Rape Shield Laws”, Southern California Review of Law and Women's Studies, 1996, Vol. 5, N. 2, 591-610.
  • Huimin, Wu, “Is a Rape Shield Law Desirable for China”, Tsinghua China Law Review, 2017, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 85-106.
  • Karabulat, Efe Can, Cezaların Etkinliği Bağlamında Türk Suç Siyaseti, Adalet Yayınevi, Ankara 2024.
  • Karakehya, Hakan, “Sanığın İddia Tanıklarının Beyanlarının Doğruluğunu Test Etme Hakkı”, Marmara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2013, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 715-733.
  • Kello, Catherine L., “Rape Shield Laws - Is It Time for Reinforcement”, University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 1987, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 317-346.
  • Koslow, Seth I., “Rape Shield Laws and the Social Media Revolution: Discoverability of Social Media - It's Social Not Private”, Touro Law Review, 2013, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 839-866.
  • Latts, Mara G./Geiselman, R. Edward, “Interviewing Survivors of Rape”, Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 1991, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 8-17.
  • McDonough, John, “Consent v. Credibility: The Complications of Evidentiary Purpose Rape Shield Statutes”, Law and Society Journal at the University of California, Santa Barbara, 2005-2006, Vol. 5, pp. 11-20.
  • McNabb, Danielle/Baker, Dennis, “Ignoring Implementation: Defects in Canada's "Rape Shield" Policy Cycle”, Canadian Journal of Law & Society, 2021, Vol. 36, No.1, 2021, pp. 23-46. Meadows, Robert J., “Rape Shield Laws: A Need for an Ethical and Legal Reexamination?”, Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society, 2004, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 281-290. Omar, Jameelah, “South Africa's Rape Shield: Does Section 27 of the Criminal Procedure Act Affect an Accused's Fair Trial Rights”, South African Journal of Criminal Justice, 2016, Vol. 29, No.1, pp. 1-23.
  • Rudstein, David S., “Rape Shield Laws: Some Constitutional Problems”, William and Mary Law Review, 1976, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 1-46.
  • Steinbuch, Robert/Seitz, Esther, “Unscrambling the Confusion: Applying the Correct Standard of Review of Rape-Shield Evidentiary Rulings”, American Journal of Trial Advocacy, 2010, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 281-300.
  • Şahin, Cumhur/Göktürk, Neslihan, Ceza Muhakemesi Hukuku, Seçkin Yayınevi, Ankara 2024.
  • Taner, Fahri Gökçen, Ceza Muhakemesi Hukukunda Adil Yargılanma Hakkı Bağlamında Çelişme ve Silahların Eşitliği, Seçkin Yayınevi, Ankara 2021.
  • Torres, Josh, “Rape Shield Laws and Game Theory: The Psychological Effects on Complainants Who File False Rape Allegations”, Law & Psychology Review, 2008, No. 32, pp. 135-152.
  • Tuerkheimer, Frank A., “Reassessment and Redefinition of Rape Shield Laws”, Ohio State Law Journal, 1989, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 1245-1274.
  • Usluadam, Asena Kamer, “Cinsel Dokunulmazlığa Karşı Suçların İspatında Yararlanılan Kriterlerin Hukuki Niteliği Hakkında Değerlendirmeler”, Hacettepe Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 2023, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 371-413.
  • Wagner, Mary A., “Canadian Rape Shield Statutes”, Hastings International and Comparative Law Review, 1993, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 637-662.
  • Zahuar, Christina/Trent, Jonas, “Minnesota's Rape Shield Law: A Sword for Prosecutors; a Blow to Defendants' Constitutional Rights”, Mitchell Hamline Law Review, 2020, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 305-324.

Avrupa Birliği Tecavüz Kalkanı Hükümlerini Kabul Ediyor: Mağdurun Özel Hayatının Korunması Adına Savunma Hakları Feda Mı Edilecek?

Year 2025, Volume: 29 Issue: 2, 703 - 724, 28.04.2025

Efe Can Karabulat

https://doi.org/10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661

Abstract

Avrupa Birliği’nin, kadına yönelik şiddetle mücadeleye yönelik çok önemli bir direktifin yürürlüğe girmesini sağlamasıyla birlikte, “rape shield (tecavüz kalkanı)” hükümleri de bütün Avrupa’da yaygın olarak benimsenmenin eşiğine gelmiştir. Cinsel suç mağdurlarının özel hayatlarının gizliliğini ve onların şeref varlığını korumaya yönelik bu hükümler, common law ülkelerinde uzun bir süredir yürürlüktedir. Bununla birlikte, bu hükümlerin Avrupa Birliği ülkelerinde de uygulanacak olması, aralarında aday ülke olarak Türkiye’nin de bulunduğu çok sayıda ülke bakımından önemli bir değişime işaret etmektedir. Bu makale, “tecavüz kalkanı” düzenlemelerinin kapsamlı bir analizini sunmayı amaçlamakta ve bu düzenlemelerin gerekçelerini, farklı uygulama modellerini ve bu hükümlere ilişkin sorunları incelemektedir. İlk bölümde, tecavüz kalkanı düzenlemelerinin tarihsel kökenleri ve temel amaçları ele alınarak, bu düzenlemelerin uluslararası düzeyde yaygınlaşması hususu ele alınmaktadır. İkinci bölümde, farklı tecavüz kalkanı düzenlemeleri karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenerek her bir yaklaşımın güçlü ve zayıf yönleri değerlendirilmektedir. Son bölüm ise bu düzenlemelerin, sanığın adil yargılanma hakkı ve silahların eşitliği ilkesine yönelik getirdiği tartışmalar ve potansiyel sakıncaları eleştirel bir şekilde ele almaktadır. Halihazırda uygulanagelen tecavüz kalkanı düzenlemelerine sahip hukuk sistemlerinin deneyimlerinden yararlanarak, bu makale mağdur haklarının korunması ve adil yargılanma konusundaki tartışmalara katkıda bulunmayı amaçlamakta, Avrupa Birliği bu önemli hukuki reforma adoğru ilerlerken politika yapıcılar ve hukukçular için bilgiler sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Tecavüz Kalkanı Mağdurun Özel Hayatının Gizliliği Cinsel Suçlar Avrupa Birliği Adil Yargılanma Hakkı

Ethical Statement

Yazar, çalışmasının etik kurallara uygun olduğunu beyan eder.

Supporting Institution

-

Thanks

-

References

  • Aydın, Murat, Ceza Hukukunda Mağdur Kavramı, Mağdur Hakları ve Mağdurun İkincil Mağduriyetten Korunması, Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Ankara 2022.
  • Ayres, Sarah G., “Expanding Rape Shield Laws: Breaking through Prejudice for Better Protection of Battered Women”, Cardozo Journal of Law & Gender, 2013, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 821-836.
  • Bacaksız, Pınar/Bayzit, Tuğba, “Yargıtay’ın Cinsel Dokunulmazlığa Karşı Suçlarda İspata Yaklaşımı”, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 2019, Vol. 21 No. Special Issue, pp. 379-414.
  • Bohmer, Carol/Blumberg, Audrey, “Twice Traumatized: The Rape Victim and the Court”, Judicature, 1975, Vol. 58, No. 8, pp. 391-399.
  • Cassidy, R. Michael, “Character, Credibility, and Rape Shield Rules”, Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy, 2021, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 145-176.
  • Caringella, Susan, Addressing Rape Reform in Law and Practice, Columbia University Press, New York 2009.
  • Cavallaro, Rosanna, “Rape Shield Evidence and the Hierarchy of Impeachment”, American Criminal Law Review, 2019, Vol. 56, No. 2, pp. 295-314.
  • Connors, Edward/Lundregan, Thomas/Miller, Neal/McEwen, Tom, Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Research Report, 1996.
  • De Zutter, André/Horselenberg, Robert W. E. A./van Koppen, Peter J, “Motives for Filing a False Allegation of Rape", Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2018, Vol. 47, No 2, pp. 457–464.
  • Douglas, Emily M./Berger, Joshua L., “A Self-report Measure of Legal and Administrative Aggression within Intimate Relationships”, Aggressive Behavior, 2015, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 295-309.
  • Duff, Peter, “The Scottish Rape Shield: As Good as It Gets?”, Edinburgh Law Review, 2011, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 218-242.
  • Flowe, Heather D./Ebbeson, Ebbe B./Putcha-Bhagavatula, Anila, “Rape Shield Laws and Sexual Behavior Evidence: Effects of Consent Level and Women's Sexual History on Rape Allegations”, Law and Human Behavior, 2007, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 159-176.
  • Hazelton, Peter, “Rape Shield Laws: Limits on Zealous Advocacy”, American Journal of Criminal Law, 1991, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 35-56.
  • Hines, Patrick J., “Bracing the Armor: Extending Rape Shield Protections to Civil Proceedings”, Notre Dame Law Review, 2011, Vol. 86, No. 2, pp. 879-904.
  • Hire, Garth E., “Holding Husbands and Lovers Accountable for Rape: Eliminating the Defendant Exception of Rape Shield Laws”, Southern California Review of Law and Women's Studies, 1996, Vol. 5, N. 2, 591-610.
  • Huimin, Wu, “Is a Rape Shield Law Desirable for China”, Tsinghua China Law Review, 2017, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 85-106.
  • Karabulat, Efe Can, Cezaların Etkinliği Bağlamında Türk Suç Siyaseti, Adalet Yayınevi, Ankara 2024.
  • Karakehya, Hakan, “Sanığın İddia Tanıklarının Beyanlarının Doğruluğunu Test Etme Hakkı”, Marmara Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Hukuk Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2013, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 715-733.
  • Kello, Catherine L., “Rape Shield Laws - Is It Time for Reinforcement”, University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 1987, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 317-346.
  • Koslow, Seth I., “Rape Shield Laws and the Social Media Revolution: Discoverability of Social Media - It's Social Not Private”, Touro Law Review, 2013, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 839-866.
  • Latts, Mara G./Geiselman, R. Edward, “Interviewing Survivors of Rape”, Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 1991, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 8-17.
  • McDonough, John, “Consent v. Credibility: The Complications of Evidentiary Purpose Rape Shield Statutes”, Law and Society Journal at the University of California, Santa Barbara, 2005-2006, Vol. 5, pp. 11-20.
  • McNabb, Danielle/Baker, Dennis, “Ignoring Implementation: Defects in Canada's "Rape Shield" Policy Cycle”, Canadian Journal of Law & Society, 2021, Vol. 36, No.1, 2021, pp. 23-46. Meadows, Robert J., “Rape Shield Laws: A Need for an Ethical and Legal Reexamination?”, Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society, 2004, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 281-290. Omar, Jameelah, “South Africa's Rape Shield: Does Section 27 of the Criminal Procedure Act Affect an Accused's Fair Trial Rights”, South African Journal of Criminal Justice, 2016, Vol. 29, No.1, pp. 1-23.
  • Rudstein, David S., “Rape Shield Laws: Some Constitutional Problems”, William and Mary Law Review, 1976, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 1-46.
  • Steinbuch, Robert/Seitz, Esther, “Unscrambling the Confusion: Applying the Correct Standard of Review of Rape-Shield Evidentiary Rulings”, American Journal of Trial Advocacy, 2010, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 281-300.
  • Şahin, Cumhur/Göktürk, Neslihan, Ceza Muhakemesi Hukuku, Seçkin Yayınevi, Ankara 2024.
  • Taner, Fahri Gökçen, Ceza Muhakemesi Hukukunda Adil Yargılanma Hakkı Bağlamında Çelişme ve Silahların Eşitliği, Seçkin Yayınevi, Ankara 2021.
  • Torres, Josh, “Rape Shield Laws and Game Theory: The Psychological Effects on Complainants Who File False Rape Allegations”, Law & Psychology Review, 2008, No. 32, pp. 135-152.
  • Tuerkheimer, Frank A., “Reassessment and Redefinition of Rape Shield Laws”, Ohio State Law Journal, 1989, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 1245-1274.
  • Usluadam, Asena Kamer, “Cinsel Dokunulmazlığa Karşı Suçların İspatında Yararlanılan Kriterlerin Hukuki Niteliği Hakkında Değerlendirmeler”, Hacettepe Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 2023, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 371-413.
  • Wagner, Mary A., “Canadian Rape Shield Statutes”, Hastings International and Comparative Law Review, 1993, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 637-662.
  • Zahuar, Christina/Trent, Jonas, “Minnesota's Rape Shield Law: A Sword for Prosecutors; a Blow to Defendants' Constitutional Rights”, Mitchell Hamline Law Review, 2020, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 305-324.
There are 32 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Criminal Law
Journal Section KAMU HUKUKU
Authors

Efe Can Karabulat 0000-0002-2181-1692

Publication Date April 28, 2025
Submission Date August 5, 2024
Acceptance Date January 8, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 29 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Karabulat, E. C. (2025). EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 29(2), 703-724. https://doi.org/10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661
AMA Karabulat EC. EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?. HBV-FLJ. April 2025;29(2):703-724. doi:10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661
Chicago Karabulat, Efe Can. “EU Is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?”. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 29, no. 2 (April 2025): 703-24. https://doi.org/10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661.
EndNote Karabulat EC (April 1, 2025) EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 29 2 703–724.
IEEE E. C. Karabulat, “EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?”, HBV-FLJ, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 703–724, 2025, doi: 10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661.
ISNAD Karabulat, Efe Can. “EU Is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?”. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 29/2 (April 2025), 703-724. https://doi.org/10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661.
JAMA Karabulat EC. EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?. HBV-FLJ. 2025;29:703–724.
MLA Karabulat, Efe Can. “EU Is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?”. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 29, no. 2, 2025, pp. 703-24, doi:10.34246/ahbvuhfd.1528661.
Vancouver Karabulat EC. EU is Adopting Rape Shield Laws: Enhancing Victim Privacy at the Expense of Defendants’ Rights?. HBV-FLJ. 2025;29(2):703-24.