The Norwegian victim lawyer in a Nordic context : Professional boundaries, legal hierarchies and purification processes

Abstract

The victim lawyer has become a common feature in Nordic jurisdictions. Designed to enable victims to participate effectively in the criminal justice system, victim lawyers emerged largely due to the advocacy of the women’s movements and their concern for survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence. In this paper, we conduct a thematic analysis of interviews and courtroom observations, focusing on how the role and professional status of the Norwegian victim lawyer are perceived. Against the backdrop of the other Nordic jurisdictions, we draw on Bourdieu’s idea of the legal field as a site of struggle to identify perceived legal hierarchies from the perspective of victim lawyers. The findings indicate that the introduction of the victim lawyer in Norway has created tensions and contestations that revolve around both professional and political concerns. These include concerns about the relationship between legal and non-legal work, boundaries of the victim lawyer role and tensions between professional and political loyalties.