Abstract
Evaluating the operation of the criminal justice system and ensuring that fairness prevails is an ongoing aspect of the Australian Institute of Criminology’s research. It is particularly important when vulnerable members of society, such as children, become involved in the criminal justice process. This Trends and Issues paper reports on a study which investigated procedures in this process which impact upon female child complainants of child sexual abuse. Although small, the study highlights some of the ongoing problems which need to be addressed in order that children are not further traumatised through their interaction with the criminal justice system.