From Survivor to Defendant: How the Law Is Being Weaponised to Silence Victims of Sexual Violence

This report by Index on Censorship addresses a gap in policy conversations on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). Despite being primarily associated with journalism, SLAPPs increasingly target survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Focusing on the legal systems of the UK and Ireland, the report reveals a pattern: threatening legal letters, complexities of legal action, high costs of defense, and hostile court environments – a system that does more than fail to protect survivors: it assists abusers in silencing them. “So much was taken from me when I was sexually abused, but I still had my voice. It felt like in suing me he was taking that final piece,” shared one survivor. “Being sued for defamation felt like the ultimate form of gaslighting. The impact of these proceedings will follow me for the rest of my life.”