The “justice” system is failing survivors: We need action
Reporting a sexual assault, and trying to get justice, closure or healing should not cause someone further harm.
The Australian Law Reform Commission has just handed down its report into justice system responses to sexual violence, recognising the deep flaws and harms of the current system, and recommending 64 actions that could make a big difference to victim-survivors' lives. Now governments around the country need to act.
Attorneys-General around the country have already acknowledged that reform is needed - now they need to commit to deliver legislative reforms, and invest in the specialist sexual assault and legal services that are needed.
Will you add your voice to the call for Attorneys-General to urgently reform legal and court systems to protect survivors and actually deliver justice?
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In 2016, 200,500 Australians experienced sexual assault. But trust and faith in our “justice” system is so low that the majority of those people did not report their experience to police. And amongst the small number of people who were willing to endure the challenges of reporting sexual assault to police - most did not see a conviction.
Too often in our current “justice” system, people who have experienced sexual violence do not get what they need or want. Instead, the current system often leaves survivors feeling alone, invisible, and as if they are the ones on trial.
Survivors and advocates have been leading the call for change for decades.
Attorneys-General from across the country have agreed to three broad areas of action:
- Strengthening legal frameworks to improve justice outcomes, including reforming legal definitions related to sexual offending, considering reforms to admissibility, and examining legislative protections for vulnerable witnesses.
- Building justice sector capacity - including an assessment of legal assistance available to victim-survivors, technology available, and specialist facilities.
- Supporting research and greater collaboration to identify best practice policy.
The ALRC report has just provided some specific next steps. These changes should be a priority. Join the campaign and urge Attorney-Generals to advance reforms in this area urgently.
Read more:
1. ALRC Inquiry Report: Safe, informed, supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence, 6 March 2025.
2. Meeting of Attorneys-General, Work Plan to Strengthen Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault: 2022 - 2027, 12 August 2022.