Juliana Terlizzi was quoted nearly £7,500 for the transcript of her trial and says she feels “used and discarded” by the system.
Meanwhile, her MP, Lib Dem Sarah Olney, has found people are being charged as much as £22,000.
Juliana’s nightmare began in 2020 when her former partner, Hubert Greliak, drugged her, tied her up and videoed himself abusing her.
He woke her up and made her watch the film – an action he recorded – and later threatened to send it to her elderly father.
Greliak was jailed for 18 years in 2022 for charges including rape, sexual assault and theft.
Travel expert Juliana, 36, of Richmond, south-west London, who has waived her right to anonymity, says she now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She said: “The only things I remember are the most traumatic moments of the trial.
“There are some things that I need to read and address to be able to move on. I thought that with time I would feel better and resume my life, but I’m still not able to work. There’s no way I can find £7,500 to get the transcript. It’s insane.
“My plea to the Government is –show honestly that you care about and are investing in victims. Show it by giving free transcripts.”
She added: “How do you process and move on from something you can’t remember or don’t know what exactly happened?
“That’s why court transcripts are vital for victims. They have the right to know what was said.
“You’re important enough that the trial won’t go forward without you, but the criminal justice system doesn’t care about the rest. I felt used and discarded after the trial.”
Ms Olney has tabled an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to scrap the extortionate fees.
She said: “I urge the Government to finally heed the calls of victims to ensure no one is forced to pay thousands simply to access justice.”
Ministry of Justice guidelines say the bill for trial transcripts will be footed by the taxpayer. But the requests are not always granted.
After her application was denied, Juliana was quoted £7,459 by a company used by the Government to supply court records.
● Rape Crisis has a 24/7 support line on 0808 500 2222
