Secondly, respect for the rights of victims and offenders requires that penal...

Secondly, respect for the rights of victims and offenders requires that penal processes be guided by a meticulous search for truth and conducted in a timely manner. Those accused must be able to defend themselves, and judges given the independence necessary to enable them to avoid ruling for reasons other than justice itself. Public pronouncements of guilt by the media or political groups, at the national or international level, before tribunals reach their decisions, can seriously hamper our collective efforts to combat the scourge of sexual violence.