- Review into justice responses to sexual
offending open for comment - Examination of criminal justice system
will focus on victim-survivor experiences - Landmark project to map journey from
reporting a crime to offender’s release
The Western Australian Government is urging victim-survivors
of sexual offending to contribute to a review of the treatment of victims by
the criminal justice system.
The ‘end-to-end’ review being
conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime in the
Department of Justice is now open for submissions.
It will map out how victim-survivors are treated by
justice-related agencies, starting with reporting their crime to police, all
the way through to the laying and prosecution of charges, the court process,
and the release of an offender on parole.
Issues to be explored include:
- the experiences of
adult victim-survivors of sexual offending and how the justice system can be
improved, - why sex offences are
under-reported and why some victim-survivors withdraw from the process, - alternative methods of
resolving sexual offending complaints, including restorative justice, and - how more victim
support can be built into the system.
All Western Australians are welcome to take part in the review’s
public comment period, which will run for two months and close on 9 October
2023.
A series of discussion papers are available for anyone
wanting to explore the issue in more detail before making a submission. These
can be accessed at https://consultations.justice.wa.gov.au
A report
will be presented to the Attorney General in May 2024.
Comments attributed to Attorney General
John Quigley:
“The State Government is listening to the
concerns of all victim-survivors of sexual offending whatever their background
or circumstances.
“I commend the resilience of all those who have experienced sexual
offending.
“Now is the time for their voices to be heard through a submission,
which will help us make the criminal justice system safer and more supportive
for victim-survivors.
“I assure all Western Australians that they will be listened to and
treated with respect if they choose to take part in the review.”
Comments attributed to Women’s Interests
Minister Sue Ellery:
“Research has shown that women are most often
victims of sexual violence in WA.
“I would encourage all women and girls to make their voices heard.
“We are particularly interested to hear from victims about where the
points of difficulty were in their justice journey, and how their experiences
might shape future improvements to the justice system.
“I also urge all interested parties to participate in the consultation
process of the State’s inaugural Sexual Violence Prevention and Response
Strategy, to help prevent sexual violence and improve outcomes for
victim-survivors.”
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