ACT government responds to damning report into experiences of sexual assault victim-survivors

A 10-year strategy will be developed for the prevention of sexual violence that will be focused on changing attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate sexual violence.

The government has also promised to spend $1.4 million on a program to put the experiences and voices of victim-survivors at the forefront of the territory's extensive reforms to sexual assault prevention and responses. It will also develop independent sexual violence advisers to tailor responses to victim-survivors.

Minister for Women Yvette Berry delivered the government's response to recommendations set out in a landmark report last year, which found victim-survivors were often retraumatised through experiences with the territory's justice system and community and government agencies.

There were 24 recommendations in the report, including that the government establish a consultation program with victim-survivors, better integration between response services and that reviews be undertaken of government-funded agencies that provide services to victim-survivors.

The government has agreed to 13 recommendations and has agreed in principle to nine recommendations. One recommendation was noted, which was that the ACT courts should develop a sexual assault bench book. The government said this was a matter for the courts.

Ms Berry said all recommendations would be implemented with the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to ensure responses are culturally safe and informed.

"The report made for hard reading. It highlighted the current system was not meeting the needs of victim-survivors, often causing further harm," she said.

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Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said it was important to acknowledge the voices of advocates and victim-survivors who said law reform was not the entire picture.

"This process has provided us with a series of important law reform recommendations, which highlight the need for us to continually adapt our laws to provide a trauma-informed environment for victim-survivors, and ensure perpetrators are held to account," he said.

"Getting justice looks different to everyone, but for the survivors who decide a criminal law response is the right choice for them, we need to do what we can to overhaul and improve that process."

ACT victims of crimes commissioner Heidi Yates, who helped to write the report, said the government's response provided a a strong affirmation of the concerns raised by victim-survivors and by frontline workers. She said it would deliver practical improvements for victim-survivors.

"For me, this response indicates the government is taking what victims survivors, and the frontline service sector is telling them," she said.

"This is a very hopeful day for the territory and I'm going to be carefully monitoring and contributing to the implementation of the recommendations endorsed by the government today."

The ACT government commissioned a steering committee and a series of working groups to examine the territory's responses to sexual assault in early 2021.

The committee and groups were established to coordinate the community service sector, unions and stakeholders on responses to sexual assault in the ACT.

There were four working groups, each with a specific focus: sexual assault prevention, response, law reform and workplace issues. There was also an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultation committee.

The chair of the committee was the former head of the Commonwealth's Department of Human Services and former chief executive of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate Renee Leon.

Sexual violence is a confronting issue that can be triggering for many people. If you or someone you know needs support, please contact:

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