Commissioner Micaela Cronin joined the Hon Justice Mordy Bromberg today Wednesday 4th of June to address the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on justice responses to sexual violence. The address follows the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) 12 month inquiry into Justice Responses to Sexual Violence.
Commenting ahead of the National Press Club Address, Commissioner Micaela Cronin said that “The ALRC has made a powerful statement, recognising that sexual violence causes widespread harm, particularly for women, that often has lifelong impacts. We must also recognise that rates of sexual violence are getting worse, and our response is not improving fast enough – it is one of the most harmful, under reported, and under prosecuted crimes.
“National Cabinet has identified domestic, family and sexual violence as one of its top priorities, and the national Women’s and Women’s Safety Ministerial Council is leading governments’ collective efforts. Our shared goal under the National Plan is, and should be, to end domestic, family and sexual violence in one generation. This report helps us on that path, now we must act.”
The Hon Justice Bromberg (President of the ALRC) said that “this address is an important opportunity to deepen the national conversation on addressing sexual violence. The work of the ALRC and the DFSVC highlights the scale of the challenge, and the matching need for significant reform right across the justice system and beyond. Sexual violence is a unique and widespread harm. The justice system has a critical role to play in ending this harm by providing people who have experienced sexual violence with a safe, informed, and supported way of accessing justice; and by holding perpetrators of sexual violence to account.”
Watch the full address
The report
The Final Report of the ALRC's inquiry, titled Safe, Informed, Supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence, was tabled on the 6th of March this year, containing 64 recommendations on improving the justice system's response to sexual violence. The ALRC’s 64 recommendations would improve the justice system’s response to sexual violence by:
- Addressing barriers for people who have experienced sexual violence to access and engage with the justice system;
- Strengthening the justice system’s accountability and processes, including by avoiding re-traumatisation and countering myths and misconceptions about sexual violence; and
- Expanding justice pathways and the remedies available, including through civil and restorative justice pathways.
During the Inquiry, the ALRC received 220 submissions from individuals and organisations, and undertook 126 consultations, involving more than 384 consultees. The Inquiry was led by Justice Bromberg together with subject matter experts and Commissioners for the Inquiry, the Hon Marcia Neave and Judge Liesl Kudelka. The Inquiry was also supported by an Australian Government appointed Expert Advisory Group comprised of people with lived experience of sexual violence and advocates, who provided critical input and guidance to the Inquiry.
Read the report
