After a long career of defending criminals, a Belgian criminal lawyer decided she would move in a different direction and exclusively defend victims of sexual and domestic violence, RTBF reports.
Criminal lawyer Caroline Poiré has practised general and special criminal law for 19 years. She has represented her clients in a number of high-profile cases and has regularly been called upon by the media and the political world for her expertise in the field of sexual and domestic violence.
With a sudden increase in women speaking out about their experiences of sexual violence at the height of the #MeToo movement, Poiré feared that the the criminal justice system would not treat them fairly and instead favour the perpetrator. She therefore decided to specialise in this area to improve care for victims.
With a few colleagues, she set up a firm in 2022, Defendere, which deals exclusively with cases of sexual and domestic violence. She devotes all her work to supporting victims, and wants to give them back the power to decide whether or not to lodge a complaint.
"I also wanted to deconstruct the image that victims have of lawyers," she tells Axelle. "The bar and the very closed circle of criminal lawyers remain an extremely masculine and patriarchal environment."
Sign reads: 'Believing a victim is a choice that can save a life'. Credit: Belga / Gabriel Mitran
Despite an estimated two thirds of the Belgian population being victims of sexual violence, 53% of cases of sexual violence are dismissed, according to RTBF. Poiré helps victims understand the reality of the legal system from the very first one-hour consultation, which is free of charge. "When I meet a victim, I draw up a table and explain that we are dealing with two realities: the personal reality and the legal reality," she explains to Axelle.
"Victims need to understand the legal system, and that there is a risk that the case will be dropped at the end of the investigation. This does not mean that the complainant has not been a victim," she says.
"It is not a question of believing [the victim] or not; it is no longer a question of belief, but of proof. The victim has to prove that the assailant is criminally responsible [...] and needs to be accompanied from the outset."
Victims of sexual violence can call 1712 anonymously, chat on nupraatikerover.be (in Dutch) or see seksueelgeweld.be (in Dutch, French and German) for more information.
If you have been having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about someone else, contact one of the help organisations listed here.
