Submissions and papers
Responding to the new normal: exploring the impacts of pornography
Review of the literature and experiences of the specialist sexual assault sector
April 2024
This discussion paper provides an overview of the signifcant literature and key issues on the nature of pornography’s relationship to sexual violence and harm to help guide the specialist sexual sector’s approach to addressing harm from pornography.
SASVic submission to Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government school
November 2023
Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools and the opportunity to provide a submission. Our recommendations include: a new long-term funding model that enables the full scope of work that specialist sexual assault services undertake to support victim survivor recovery; resourcing SASVic to lead a collaborative project with support services in the mental health, alcohol and drug and related sectors to develop a best-practice evidence-based collaborative model to respond to adult victim survivors of institutional child sexual abuse; and resourcing specialist sexual assault service clinical leads for older adults.
SASVic submission to the National Children’s Commissioner’s project regarding youth justice and child wellbeing reform
June 2023
Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the National Children’s Commissioner’s project to explore opportunities for youth justice and child wellbeing reform across Australia to reduce children’s involvement in crime. Our recommendations include: integrating specialist sexual assault services as part of youth justice and related systems response to sexual violence, and addressing and implementing the Disability Royal Commission recommendations regarding care criminalisation of children with disability.
SASVic submission to the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality
April 2023
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission informing the development of the first National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (the Strategy). We emphasise the importance of a gendered intersectional lens that recognises the social context of inequalities and spectrum of sexual violence that women, children and young people and members of diverse communities experience that the Strategy should reflect.
SASVic submission to the National Inquiry into current and proposed sexual consent laws
March 2023
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Inquiry into current and proposed sexual consent laws in Australia. SASVic strongly supports the introduction of harmonised affirmative consent laws across Australia, noting that to have the most impact, a whole-of-community approach should be taken to legislative reform.
SASVic submission to the Exposure Draft of the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 (Exposure Draft)
February 2023
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief submission to the Attorney-General’s Department on the Exposure Draft. We welcome the prioritising of children and adult victim survivors safety in the family law system in the Exposure Draft. In addition to endorsing the submission by Women’s Legal Services Australia, SASVic makes additional recommendations that reflect our role and focus as the peak for sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviours in Victoria.
2022 State Election Tour ‘Vote Against Violence’ Report
October 2022
In the lead up to the 2022 Victorian State Election, specialist family violence and sexual assault services providers came together with local political candidates in key electoral districts across the state to discuss issues and priorities for their communities. Hosted by peak bodies Safe and Equal, Sexual Assault Services Victoria and No to Violence, the Vote Against Violence tour was an opportunity for sector experts to highlight the impacts of increasing demand, workforce challenges, housing shortages and inequitable access to justice and legal support on victim survivors of family violence and sexual assault.
SASVic submission to the Australian Government Consultation: Respect@Work - Options to progress further legislative recommendations
March 2022
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Respect@Work - Options to progress further legislative recommendations Consultation Paper. We draw attention to the importance of reflecting the recommendations in the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)’s Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report in the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Act 2021. As a proud member of the Power2Prevent Coalition, we call on the Australian Government to implement all remaining recommendations of the Respect@Work Report in full and without further delay. We also identify priorities to address and prevent gendered violence and sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, hold perpetrators accountable, and support victim-survivors to recover and receive redress.
SASVic submission on the Draft National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032
February 2022
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children. SASVic expresses the urgent need for increased investment in specialist workforce. Our submission also highlights the need for clear actions, targets and accountability, alignment with evidence-based prevention frameworks, prevention of sexual violence, and strong consistency in law and justice responses.
SASVic submission to the Inquiry into Victoria’s criminal justice system
September 2021
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Victorian Parliament Legal and Social Issues Committee’s inquiry into Victoria’s criminal justice system. We make a number of recommendations, including to: achieve better recognition of the impacts of trauma on people with disabilities and indigenous people, particularly women, in the criminal justice system; provide therapeutic responses to victim survivors in prison; prevent young people in government care being exposed to sexual violence.
SASVic submission to ‘National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children’
July 2021
SASVic welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development of the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children (National Plan). Our recommendations include that the National Plan: incorporate a comprehensive definition of sexual abuse that covers the continuum of sexual violence, resource data collection, and invest in specialist sexual assault services to provide specialist respectful relationships education.
SASVic submission to the Victoria Law Reform Commission ‘Improving Justice Responses to Sexual Offences’ inquiry
December 2020
SASVic welcomes the Victorian Law Reform Commission review to Improving the Response of the Justice System to Sexual Offences. We emphasise the need for community awareness, attitudinal change and increased access to supports. Further, cultural change within the justice system requires a commitment to building a shared understanding of sexual assault and harm. SASVic believes this inquiry offers an opportunity for a ‘re-boot’ of the current system and of Victoria’s response to sexual offences. Consolidating data and evidence is necessary to assess impacts, manage responses and measure outcomes across all jurisdictions to inform development of a Statewide Sexual Assault Strategy for Victoria.