- WA receives $2.5 million for pilot of sexual assault legal service
- State one of three jurisdictions to obtain Commonwealth funding for program
- Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime will oversee the service in WA
Western Australia will run a $2.5 million federally funded pilot program to provide legal advice and support to victim-survivors of sexual assault.
The State is one of three Australian jurisdictions, along with Victoria and the ACT, allocated a total of $8.4 million over three years to deliver the service.
The program is designed to give trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate support to victim-survivors of sexual assault, as they navigate their way through the criminal justice system.
The program in WA will be provided by the Women’s Legal Service WA, Ruah Community Services (Legal), and the Aboriginal Family Legal Service.
Examples of the services they can offer sexual assault victim-survivors include:
- General legal advice and preparation for the various stages of the criminal justice system;
- Preparing a victim impact statement;
- Advice and help preparing an application for criminal injuries compensation;
- Advice and help applying for a restraining order; and
- Accessing the Victim Notification Register.
The Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime will oversee the pilot program, which will be evaluated in 2025-2026.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
“Feedback from victim-survivors of sexual assault often indicates that they find some aspects of the criminal justice system particularly challenging.
“This worthy program will complement work the State Government is already doing to improve the way the criminal justice system interacts with victim-survivors of sexual assault, including an end-to-end review of the whole system, which is still open for public comment.
“I am confident the three organisations chosen to give wrap-around legal support and advice will help achieve better outcomes for victim-survivors.”
As stated by Minister for Women’s Interests Sue Ellery:
“I note the Federal Government worked directly with victim-survivors in Western Australia to workshop which services victim-survivors needed, and how these services should be offered.
“This included considering the specific needs of victim-survivors living here, and of those over-represented cohorts of victim-survivors, including representatives from Aboriginal, LGBTQIA+, and culturally and linguistically diverse groups.
“The pilot program also complements the State Government’s recently announced commitment to develop the State’s first Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Strategy.”
As stated by Dr Jennie Gray, Women’s Legal Centre Western Australia:
“As the service providers chosen to deliver this vital support, we will do so in a holistic, integrated and culturally safe way.
“We will assist victim-survivors of sexual assault to understand their legal rights, make informed decisions, and have an improved experience in the criminal justice system.
“This will include a focus on points in the criminal justice system where we know victim-survivors are more likely to disengage and withdraw from the legal process.
“We hope to build in supports for victim-survivors at those points so that they may feel more comfortable going forward – if that is their choice.”
