A survivor must sign a gag order to attend her rapist’s parole hearing, raising concerns about victim rights and justice reform
Glasgow: A rape survivor, Ellie Wilson, is in a tough spot. She wants to attend her attacker’s parole hearing but has to sign a gag order first. It feels so unfair, right?
Ellie’s ex, Daniel McFarlane, is the guy who was jailed for five years after she bravely recorded him confessing to the crime. She’s been vocal about how the system is failing victims like her.
McFarlane, a medical student, was sentenced in July 2022 for two rapes that happened back in 2017 and 2018. Now, with his parole hearing coming up on February 14, Ellie feels like she’s being silenced again.
She’s frustrated because the parole process seems to ignore the needs of victims. Signing a confidentiality agreement just to watch the hearing? That’s a lot to ask.
Ellie has been fighting for better rights for victims during these hearings. She even teamed up with another survivor to push for changes. It’s about time the system listens to them!
Kate Wallace from Victim Support Scotland agrees. She says the system needs to be more trauma-informed and considerate of victims’ needs. It’s all about making sure they don’t feel more stressed out.
The Parole Board for Scotland hasn’t commented on Ellie’s case, but it’s clear that there’s a lot of work to do to make the system fairer for survivors.
