RASSO Training (Rape and Serious Sexual Offences) 

Specialised RASSO training for police, legal, and support professionals. Enhance your understanding of serious sexual offence cases. 

RASSO Training – Course Overview

What This RASSO Training Covers

The course includes the following chapters:

1. Rape Myths and Misconceptions (Parts 1 & 2)

2.  The Law Commission Report

3. Court Observations

4. Jane Doe – Complainant / Victim / Survivor

5. Gareth Roberts – Barrister

6. Liam Allan – Falsely Accused

7. Anthony Metzer KC – Barrister

8. Change for Advocates

9. The Bench Book

10. Section 41

11. The Adversarial Legal System 

12. Understanding Offending Behaviour

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this training, participants will continue and enhance how to:

•  Identify and challenge rape myths and misconceptions

•  Understand the legal framework governing RASSO cases

• Apply trauma-informed approaches in interviews and advocacy

• Critically assess adversarial practices in sexual offence trials

• Improve professional practice when working with vulnerable witnesses

How to Choose the Right RASSO Training Provider?

A strong RASSO training provider should offer:

• CPD accreditation

• Trauma-informed content

• Legal accuracy and practical relevance

•  Input from practitioners and lived experience

Our Course Includes

1. On-demand Moodle access

2. Expert legal commentary from practising barristers

3.  Lived-experience perspectives

4. Case-based learning and reflective exercises

5.  Assignment-based learning for applied understanding

Instructor and Contributors

The course includes expert contributions from:

•  Anthony Metzer KC – Barrister

• Gareth Roberts – Barrister, Exchange Chambers

• Alongside survivor-informed and system-critical perspectives.

FAQ

Is this course suitable for practising barristers?
  Yes. Many barristers use it for CPD hours and as a refresher tool. However it is more suitable to Junior Counsel level.

Is the content trauma-informed?
  Yes. The course is designed to balance legal rigour with survivor-aware practice.

Can students take this course?
  Yes. It has been widely completed by law students intending to practise in RASSO cases.

How long does it take?

• This is a self-paced course. To complete the course we recommend undertaking around 90 minutes of work a week for 13 weeks total -- the content is structured to reflect this.

•  Throughout the course, you may find it useful to discuss the content, legality and viewpoints with tutors, students and legal professionals.

•  Please remember that this course is a contextual exploration of contention and at times you will encounter real differences in opinion and approach.

**Over 600 law students and professionals across England have completed this course, valuing its depth, realism, and relevance to live RASSO practice**.

Bar Standards Board (BSB) CPD Alignment

This course is designed to support authorised practice outcomes under the Bar Standards Board Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme. It enables practising barristers and junior counsel to identify learning needs, reflect on practice, and maintain professional competence in Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) work.

Relevant BSB CPD Outcomes Supported

The course supports barristers in meeting the following BSB outcomes:

Legal Knowledge and Skills

• Maintains and develops specialist legal knowledge relevant to RASSO cases

• Enhances understanding of evidential rules, including Section 41, judicial directions, and the Bech Book

• Strengthens advocacy skills in complex and sensitive criminal proceedings
  
  

Ethics, Professional Standards and Judgment

• Promotes ethical decision-making in adversarial contexts

• Supports compliance with Core Duties, including acting with integrity, independence, and honesty

• Encourages reflective practice when handling vulnerable witnesses and sensitive evidence

Working with Vulnerable Witnesses

•  Develops trauma-informed approaches to interviewing and advocacy

• Improves professional competence when engaging with complainants, defendants, and witnesses in sexual offence cases

•  Supports fair treatment of all parties while maintaining robust advocacy
  
  

Reflective Practice and Professional Development

• Includes reflective learning and applied assignments aligned with BSB CPD requirements

• Enables barristers to evidence learning outcomes, impact on practice, and CPD hours completed
  
  

CPD Recording

Barristers may record this course as CPD-accredited learning under the BSB CPD scheme and use it to demonstrate:

• Identification of learning needs

• Completion of relevant learning activities

•  Reflection on how learning improves professional practice

"We have reviewed the content of the Moodle Course. It is excellent and you can really see the time, effort and thought that has gone into it and the impact it could have on student barristers’ awareness of the issues raised in sexual offences cases.  We have spent some time considering where the module may work best for our students.  We feel that the module will fit nicely within our Social Impact and Careers offering.  This will allow those of our students who are interested in becoming barristers at the criminal bar to access the material to raise their awareness of the issues covered in the module". 

-Large BPC provider 2025