March 28, 2025 | Katie Wand
The Australian Law Reform Commission has released its Safe, Informed, Supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence report, that was tabled in the Australian Parliament by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on 6 March 2025.
The Victorian community legal sector welcomes the report, which outlines a comprehensive approach for improving justice system responses for victim-survivors. We strongly support the need for transformational change and a victim-centred and trauma-informed response to reporting and legal processes outlined in the report.
Key recommendations in line with community legal sector advocacy include:
- All victim-survivors of sexual violence should have access to free and confidential independent legal advice as required during the criminal legal process, alongside ongoing trauma-informed and culturally safe therapeutic support to navigate their chosen legal pathway. Services must be designed with the legal assistance sector and build on existing models, with a focus on ensuring services reach all victims, including those from marginalised communities.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim-survivors of sexual violence should have access to culturally safe and independent legal advice provided by Aboriginal legal services, and restorative justice models designed, developed and led by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
- Victim-survivors from culturally and linguistically diverse communities facing communication barriers should be able to access better trained interpreters and information in languages other than English.
- Federal, State and Territory Governments should strengthen civil and restorative justice options for victims, including improving victim compensation schemes.
- The criminal legal system should embed a trauma-informed and victim-centred approach. This includes training for police, frontline workers, and court staff, and requires police agencies to review and update their guidelines for how they respond to people who have experienced sexual violence.
- The Federal Government should strengthen sexual harassment laws to recognise sexual harassment as sexual violence and employers’ positive duty to eliminate sexual harassment.
We welcome the Australian Government’s initial response to the report, which included funding to extend the trauma-informed sexual assault legal service pilot led by Djirra, Women’s Legal Service Victoria and Victoria Legal Aid. This program has proven highly successful, and we commend investment in its continuation and expansion.
We also welcome the additional funding measures for victim-survivors’ of sexual violence announced in the 2025 budget, including additional support for seeking emergency accommodation, and investment in family and sexual violence services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children.
We will continue to advocate and support calls for:
- The Australian Government to prioritise self-determined legal and non-legal responses to sexual violence and resourcing for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- The Victorian Government to appoint an independent Police Ombudsman to review Victoria Police decisions impacting victim-survivors of sexual violence, and
- The Victorian and Australian Government to recognise the critical role of community legal centres in supporting primary prevention in local communities, through community legal education in schools, and as part of a broader public education campaign.
The Australian Government will now consider the report. We urge the Australian Government to release a comprehensive response as soon as possible.
We look forward to working with governments to ensure the report recommendations are implemented effectively.
