The family of Dunedin murder victim Sophie Elliot are calling for victims to have the same rights as the accused in criminal court cases - the right of legal representation and legal aid.
They have made a submission to a Ministry of Justice consultation document, A Focus on Victims of Crime: A Review of Victims' Rights, in an effort to address what they see as "anomalies in the criminal justice system", Miss Elliot's father, Gil Elliot, said last night.
"We're doing it for Sophie. She'd want us to push on," Mr Elliot said.
In July last year, Clayton Weatherston was convicted of murdering Miss Elliott (22) in her home at Ravensbourne in Dunedin, on January 9, 2008.
The discussion document outlines proposals which aim to improve government agencies' responses to victims of crime and to enhance victims' rights and role in criminal justice processes.
Mr Elliot said the document scraped the surface of the "anomolies" but he hoped his message that victims should be represented with their own lawyer and legal aid, just like offenders, would get across.
At present, victims or their families had no part to play and no input in a trial.
It was a very unbalanced system, he said.
"We'd like to see balance."
Victim impact statements were supposedly a way for victims to have input into the court process but it could be censored as his was in Sophie's case, Mr Elliot said.
"They inked out a third of mine ... and it took me months to do."
The submissions, which closed last week, would be analysed by the Ministry of Justice.
It would then provide proposals to the Government for consideration.
