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<p>Tackling historical sexual abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice is a government
priority.</p><p> </p><p>Some victims of historical sexual abuse may be called to give
evidence in criminal trials however a victim is not a party to a criminal case, as
the Crown prosecutes. Victims and witnesses are not required to defend themselves
or provide evidence to support their statements.</p><p>Rules of evidence do not permit
the Crown to call evidence of the good character of a prosecution witness in order
to bolster their credibility where it is not relevant to an issue in the case.</p><p>If
the defendant attacks the character of a witness, evidence of the defendant’s bad
character may be admissible as evidence.</p><p> </p>
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