Does lifelong anonymity for victims of sex offences apply to deceased victims?

Lifelong anonymity for victims of sex offences does not extend to deceased victims. The law provides anonymity primarily as a protective measure for living victims to ensure their privacy and help them avoid further trauma or stigma associated with the crime. Since deceased individuals are no longer able to experience the consequences of such privacy breaches, the same level of legal protection does not apply. Therefore, once a victim has passed away, their identity can be disclosed without the protections offered to living victims, allowing for a clearer discourse in media reporting and legal proceedings.

The rationale behind this approach is to balance the rights of the victim with the public's right to know, especially in cases where the victim's identity may be significant to the understanding of the case or its implications. This distinction is important in media law, as it helps define the boundaries of anonymity and the conditions under which they can be lifted.