Rape victims could be arrested if they refuse to face court

● Prosecutors under fire over guidance ● Warning people may falsely back down

Rape victims could face the threat of arrest if they walk away from the ordeal of a court trial under a new approach by prosecutors, campaigners have warned.

There are now fears that many victims will “falsely retract” their statements to police, with Rape Crisis Scotland warning the move will cause “further harm to survivors”.

The Crown Office in Scotland insists that new guidance for dealing with “reluctant complainers” ensures all the circumstances will be examined before any decision is made on potential arrest warrants.

The justice system in Scotland has come under fire over the low rate of rape convictions and low number of cases coming to court.

Rape Crisis Scotland was made aware of the new guidance in a latter from the Crown Office last week. But Scotland co-ordinator Sandy Brindley has now urged a rethink.

“We consider the approach outlined in your aforementioned letter that will compel rape complainers to give evidence or risk a warrant being issued for her arrest to be a step backwards, and one that could have significant, lasting negative implications,” she says in an open letter. “It seems to us perverse that someone who has been through an extremely traumatic experience