Carla Ferstman 31 hurdles, procedural barriers, and gaps in the law. Furthermore, victims who submit their cases to justice processes are still sometimes forced to confront prosecutors and judges who judge the vic­ tims on the basis of discriminatory stereotypes and narratives about gender, which impede victims from realising fair and equitable justice.61 When reparations follow criminal law proceedings, problems to secure convictions translate to problems to secure reparation. The low number of investigations, prosecutions, and convictions in cases of alleged rape and other forms of gender-based violence, coupled by insensitive cross-exam­ ination procedures and poor witness protection, also undermine victims’ confidence in the justice system and lead to them rejecting judicial approaches altogether. 61 Vertido v. The Philippines, U.N. Doc. CEDAW/C/46/D/18/2008 (Sept.1, 2010).