Bunbury sexual assault support organisation hopes for stronger changes to the law amid State Government review

A Bunbury sexual assault support organisation is hoping changes to the laws around sexual offending will offer consistency, stricter bail conditions for perpetrators and more funding support. Waratah Bunbury chief executive Rebecca Jury said recommendations made as part of the State Government’s review into the experience of sexual violence victim-survivors were welcomed, but didn’t go far enough. The final report as part of Project 113 Sexual Offences was published on May 15 and recommended expanding the legislation around consent, increasing the severity of penalties and to better train and inform law enforcement workers, juries and the community. “I think this goes some way to addressing some of the issues that we hear from women, but it doesn’t go all the way,” Ms Jury said. “One of the other justice changes we would really like to see is to do with baling perpetrators. We see enormous amounts of family and domestic violence and sexual assault,which happen when someone is on bail conditions.” Ms Jury said improved education for those part of the legal process was also needed. “We’ve had far too many cases with families in our care where information has been subpoenaed, and then the perpetrator has had access to that information and there’s been further violent behaviours,” she said. “Shutting down some of those access points for perpetrators is really important.” Funding, and consistency around funding, was another key point Ms Jury would like to see action on. “While funding is appreciated, we would like to see a much longer-term plan around how this is going to be managed,” she said. “I think a better spread of funding and over a longer period of time is needed. “I think what can happen is an issue such as family and domestic violence, and sexual assault, gets a lot of focus and there seems to be lot of money suddenly coming into our sector which is wonderful. “But it’s short-lived. And so it makes it really difficult for organisations like not-for-profits to maintain some kind of consistency.” 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)