Law changes in ACT sexual assault reforms not enough, government says

Instead, the government says it will look at a holistic approach aimed at improving support services, treatments and prevention.

ACT Minister for Women Yvette Berry said reforms to sexual assault and violence were complex and needed "a very considered and careful response".

"That's the easy answer, right, 'just make a law change and that will fix everything'," she said.

"But what we are hearing from the service sector is that is not the case, it's not as simple as that.

"I can't emphasise enough that what we're hearing from victim-survivors and the expertise from the support services on the ground is that just merely changing the law on its own won't fix this."

Ms Berry said law reform would still play an important part role, but in the end it was one part of the government's larger response.

"We are now at a momentous time in our history to be able to take action in this holistic way, and that's what I intend to do," she said.

"It's all a part of a much bigger response and it's the community's responsibility to take action on this as well.

"And that comes into the prevention space, the education space. Consent education - not just for children and young people, as schools can't be the ones that carry this burden on their own."

Canberra victim advocates have long called for the government to look at reforms outside the criminal justice system after a dramatic fall in sex offence trial numbers in the territory.

Despite an increase in reports to both police and support services, there were 105 sex offence trials in the ACT over the past five years, compared to 230 trials in the previous five years.

ACT victims of crime commissioner Heidi Yates said options needed to be available for victims in health support and ongoing therapeutic support.

As well, she said victims who did choose to report to police needed to be able to do this in a safe and culturally appropriate environment.

"We must ensure the voices of victim-survivors are leading this work and what they are already telling us is that there are substantial barriers to people being able to access timely therapeutic supports," Ms Yates said.

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The territory government's working group on sexual assault reform met for the first time on Wednesday morning, after the group was set up last month.

Members from across the three parties, the Chief Police Officer, directors-general from several ACT public service directorates, union representatives and victim advocates came together to work on responses to sexual assault in the ACT.

The stakeholders have been spilt into three groups - law reform, prevention and response.

The prevention group will look at driving systemic change, with a focus on schools, universities, CIT and workplaces.

The response group will look at service provision and police response, which will be informed by victims' experiences of accessing support, advocacy and counselling.

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