Latest news with #JackieFitzgerald
Sydney Morning Herald
10-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why police can't prove children like Harry committed serious crimes
A steep decline in convictions has worried the NSW Labor government, which has ordered a review. The Nationals want a major change, arguing doli incapax is failing both victims of crime and the children themselves. But legal bodies, academics and children's advocates fear any rise in convictions, arguing support for a child should not hinge on a finding of guilt. Dramatic fall Across Australia, no child under 10 can be charged with a crime. In NSW, in the 10- to 13-year-old bracket where prosecutors must rebut doli incapax, cases with a proven outcome have fallen off a cliff, collapsing from 76 per cent in 2015-16 to 16 per cent in 2022-23. 'It's a remarkable fall, really,' says Jackie Fitzgerald, executive director of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. 'I don't know that the government and possibly even policymakers in this area knew this.' After noticing the trend last year, Fitzgerald commissioned a report into the effect of a 2016 High Court case, RP v R, which clarified the application of doli incapax. The High Court emphasised it was the job of prosecutors to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a child knew what they were doing was seriously wrong, as opposed to merely naughty or mischievous. It was not enough to argue an act was 'obviously wrong'. Since that decision, frontline NSW Police officers have kept on charging roughly the same number of children. But by 2023, one in two cases ended with their police prosecutor colleagues withdrawing all charges. Many more children were pleading not guilty, and when they did, the prosecution was failing to prove them guilty nearly 90 per cent of the time. In May, on the same day BOCSAR released its research into the 'dramatic shift', Attorney-General Michael Daley announced a review of doli incapax. Citing 'concerns' raised by others, Daley said he had asked former Supreme Court judge Geoffrey Bellew and former police deputy commissioner Jeff Loy to advise on new legislation. 'Often, the young person is simply released from custody without support, back into the care of dysfunctional families,' the ministerial media release said. 'Too often, they engage in behaviour that endangers themselves and members of the community.' NSW, Victoria and South Australia have all relied on the common law standard of doli incapax, which has developed over time as individual judges interpret it. All three states have seen falls in guilty findings since the High Court case. (Victoria last year introduced legislation that codifies doli incapax in a similar form.) But in Queensland and Western Australia, which have a lower threshold set down in legislation, conviction rates have remained relatively stable. Prosecutors in those states do not need to prove the child had actual knowledge of serious wrongdoing, only the capacity to know they 'ought not' have acted the way they did. A 2018 review of Queensland's system heard that 'the presumption of doli incapax is rarely a barrier to prosecution'. 'Queensland is the exemplar if you're trying to prosecute children, and you want to convict children,' says Dominique Moritz, a former police officer turned criminal law academic at the University of the Sunshine Coast. 'From a protective perspective, the common law test is much more preferable.' 'In one door and out the other' In the town of Moree, on the NSW Northern Tablelands, robberies, break-ins and car thefts have led to tense discussions about youth crime. 'It's creating a feeling of fear in my community,' Nationals MP Brendan Moylan says. The former solicitor, who has lived in Moree for two decades and won office in a byelection last year, says he has been 'constantly annoying' the attorney-general about reforming doli incapax. 'We can't just let these kids go in one door out the other,' he says. 'Put in place structures to actually help them to stop that reoffending.' Moylan believes only courts can enforce treatment plans for children, whom he acknowledges have often suffered violence or have grown up amid substance abuse. He suggests they could be dealt with in a similar way to adults found not guilty because of mental illness. But others are wary of the review into doli incapax. 'It's a distraction from the real issue,' says Jonathon Hunyor, chief executive of the Justice and Equity Centre, an independent law and policy advisory organisation. 'Why aren't we providing services before children are putting themselves and the community in dangerous situations? Why do children need to act out to get the support they need?' Hunyor said decades of research showed early contact with the criminal justice system 'absolutely guaranteed' a higher likelihood of reoffending down the track. When the review was first announced, the NSW Bar Association also warned against a focus on declining conviction rates. 'The NSW government does not need to reform doli incapax in order to provide the vital services and support needed by vulnerable children and their communities,' then-president Ruth Higgins, SC, said. Doli incapax is a live issue because the state government has resisted a push to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility. Loading Bodies that want to 'raise the age' to 14 or higher include the Bar Association, the Law Council of Australia, the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Australian Medical Association. The NSW Children's Court has previously called for it to be raised to 12. A 2020 draft report by the Australian Council of Attorneys-General, which recommended the age be raised to 14, found 'placing a child in detention can disrupt normal brain development and compound pre-existing trauma'. Since then, the ACT has permanently shifted the minimum age to 14. Victoria raised it to 12, but has walked away from plans to raise it to 14 by 2027. The NSW government says it should stay at 10. As a research agency, BOCSAR has no position on raising the age or changes to doli incapax. But its executive director says a comparison of crime statistics around the country shows NSW does not have a youth crime 'crisis'. 'There's considerable community harm posed by allowing those young people to continue to offend, of course,' Fitzgerald says. 'But a heavy-handed justice response is not the way to turn the tables on that trajectory.' In a statement, NSW Police said it was working with the government as part of the review. In response to questions, the attorney-general did not elaborate on the concerns raised with him about doli incapax nor answer whether the government intended to increase the conviction rate for 10- to 13-year-olds. 'It is appropriate that doli incapax is reviewed by two eminent experts to ensure that it continues to operate in the best interests of the community and the children it applies to,' a spokesperson for Daley said. 'We acknowledge that vulnerable children in NSW need more support, which is why we are investing a landmark $1.2 billion in the child protection system. The government invested more than $100 million in additional youth justice funding in last year's budget, with further additional funding in [last month's] budget.' In the case of Harry, who turned 14 in detention, magistrate Hayes noted 'the accusatorial system is not focused on the referral to expert services or the reasons why you have been in conflict with the law'. Avoiding legalese, Hayes spoke in simple sentences, telling Harry that sometimes detention changes people. In the short term, it protects the community, he said, and sometimes, in the long term, it makes things worse. 'Harry, you will now be released back into the community,' Hayes concluded. 'I wish you well.'
The Age
10-07-2025
- The Age
Why police can't prove children like Harry committed serious crimes
A steep decline in convictions has worried the NSW Labor government, which has ordered a review. The Nationals want a major change, arguing doli incapax is failing both victims of crime and the children themselves. But legal bodies, academics and children's advocates fear any rise in convictions, arguing support for a child should not hinge on a finding of guilt. Dramatic fall Across Australia, no child under 10 can be charged with a crime. In NSW, in the 10- to 13-year-old bracket where prosecutors must rebut doli incapax, cases with a proven outcome have fallen off a cliff, collapsing from 76 per cent in 2015-16 to 16 per cent in 2022-23. 'It's a remarkable fall, really,' says Jackie Fitzgerald, executive director of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. 'I don't know that the government and possibly even policymakers in this area knew this.' After noticing the trend last year, Fitzgerald commissioned a report into the effect of a 2016 High Court case, RP v R, which clarified the application of doli incapax. The High Court emphasised it was the job of prosecutors to prove beyond reasonable doubt that a child knew what they were doing was seriously wrong, as opposed to merely naughty or mischievous. It was not enough to argue an act was 'obviously wrong'. Since that decision, frontline NSW Police officers have kept on charging roughly the same number of children. But by 2023, one in two cases ended with their police prosecutor colleagues withdrawing all charges. Many more children were pleading not guilty, and when they did, the prosecution was failing to prove them guilty nearly 90 per cent of the time. In May, on the same day BOCSAR released its research into the 'dramatic shift', Attorney-General Michael Daley announced a review of doli incapax. Citing 'concerns' raised by others, Daley said he had asked former Supreme Court judge Geoffrey Bellew and former police deputy commissioner Jeff Loy to advise on new legislation. 'Often, the young person is simply released from custody without support, back into the care of dysfunctional families,' the ministerial media release said. 'Too often, they engage in behaviour that endangers themselves and members of the community.' NSW, Victoria and South Australia have all relied on the common law standard of doli incapax, which has developed over time as individual judges interpret it. All three states have seen falls in guilty findings since the High Court case. (Victoria last year introduced legislation that codifies doli incapax in a similar form.) But in Queensland and Western Australia, which have a lower threshold set down in legislation, conviction rates have remained relatively stable. Prosecutors in those states do not need to prove the child had actual knowledge of serious wrongdoing, only the capacity to know they 'ought not' have acted the way they did. A 2018 review of Queensland's system heard that 'the presumption of doli incapax is rarely a barrier to prosecution'. 'Queensland is the exemplar if you're trying to prosecute children, and you want to convict children,' says Dominique Moritz, a former police officer turned criminal law academic at the University of the Sunshine Coast. 'From a protective perspective, the common law test is much more preferable.' 'In one door and out the other' In the town of Moree, on the NSW Northern Tablelands, robberies, break-ins and car thefts have led to tense discussions about youth crime. 'It's creating a feeling of fear in my community,' Nationals MP Brendan Moylan says. The former solicitor, who has lived in Moree for two decades and won office in a byelection last year, says he has been 'constantly annoying' the attorney-general about reforming doli incapax. 'We can't just let these kids go in one door out the other,' he says. 'Put in place structures to actually help them to stop that reoffending.' Moylan believes only courts can enforce treatment plans for children, whom he acknowledges have often suffered violence or have grown up amid substance abuse. He suggests they could be dealt with in a similar way to adults found not guilty because of mental illness. But others are wary of the review into doli incapax. 'It's a distraction from the real issue,' says Jonathon Hunyor, chief executive of the Justice and Equity Centre, an independent law and policy advisory organisation. 'Why aren't we providing services before children are putting themselves and the community in dangerous situations? Why do children need to act out to get the support they need?' Hunyor said decades of research showed early contact with the criminal justice system 'absolutely guaranteed' a higher likelihood of reoffending down the track. When the review was first announced, the NSW Bar Association also warned against a focus on declining conviction rates. 'The NSW government does not need to reform doli incapax in order to provide the vital services and support needed by vulnerable children and their communities,' then-president Ruth Higgins, SC, said. Doli incapax is a live issue because the state government has resisted a push to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility. Loading Bodies that want to 'raise the age' to 14 or higher include the Bar Association, the Law Council of Australia, the Aboriginal Legal Service and the Australian Medical Association. The NSW Children's Court has previously called for it to be raised to 12. A 2020 draft report by the Australian Council of Attorneys-General, which recommended the age be raised to 14, found 'placing a child in detention can disrupt normal brain development and compound pre-existing trauma'. Since then, the ACT has permanently shifted the minimum age to 14. Victoria raised it to 12, but has walked away from plans to raise it to 14 by 2027. The NSW government says it should stay at 10. As a research agency, BOCSAR has no position on raising the age or changes to doli incapax. But its executive director says a comparison of crime statistics around the country shows NSW does not have a youth crime 'crisis'. 'There's considerable community harm posed by allowing those young people to continue to offend, of course,' Fitzgerald says. 'But a heavy-handed justice response is not the way to turn the tables on that trajectory.' In a statement, NSW Police said it was working with the government as part of the review. In response to questions, the attorney-general did not elaborate on the concerns raised with him about doli incapax nor answer whether the government intended to increase the conviction rate for 10- to 13-year-olds. 'It is appropriate that doli incapax is reviewed by two eminent experts to ensure that it continues to operate in the best interests of the community and the children it applies to,' a spokesperson for Daley said. 'We acknowledge that vulnerable children in NSW need more support, which is why we are investing a landmark $1.2 billion in the child protection system. The government invested more than $100 million in additional youth justice funding in last year's budget, with further additional funding in [last month's] budget.' In the case of Harry, who turned 14 in detention, magistrate Hayes noted 'the accusatorial system is not focused on the referral to expert services or the reasons why you have been in conflict with the law'. Avoiding legalese, Hayes spoke in simple sentences, telling Harry that sometimes detention changes people. In the short term, it protects the community, he said, and sometimes, in the long term, it makes things worse. 'Harry, you will now be released back into the community,' Hayes concluded. 'I wish you well.'
The Advertiser
19-06-2025
- The Advertiser
Stalking 'critical point of intervention' to break cycle of coercive control
Rates of coercive control in regional NSW are 60 per cent higher than the state average, according to the latest quarterly Coercive Control Monitoring report. The Far West and Orana regions, which include the regional centres of Dubbo and Broken Hill, were the worst areas in the state for coercive control, with a rate four times higher than the state average. The Central West, Murray and New England North West regions were not far behind, more than double the NSW average. The report, released on June 19 by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR), found there had been 224 coercive control incidents in NSW since new laws were introduced in 2024. Five had charges laid for coercive control and a further 91 had charges laid for other domestic and family violence offences, but not coercive control. Thirty-four per cent of victims were in the 30-39 year age bracket and 10 per cent of victims were Aboriginal. BOSCAR's executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald, labelled the result "unsurprising" to ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "We know that DV is higher in the regions; that is a pretty consistent pattern in crime statistics," she said. "It is an unfortunate element of the crime landscape in NSW." READ MORE: Sins of the father: the link between unloving dads and domestic violence "There is a whole range of issues in regional communities that are not as apparent in Sydney. "Economic disadvantage, lower employment rates, educational performance, and even health outcomes, are more problematic in regional NSW." A new offence of coercive control was introduced in NSW on July 1, 2024. The offence relates to abusive behaviours directed towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. Ms Fitzgerald said they were still waiting for a test case to indicate how the courts treat coercive control charges. "Only one coercive control case has gone to court in NSW, and the person pleaded guilty," she said. ANU criminologist Dr Hayley Boxall said it was concerning how few incidents result in formal proceedings. "Of the 224 incidents reported by BOCSAR, 127 didn't result in any charges being laid at all," she said. "So what's concerning for me is that we're not seeing widespread use of the new legislation yet. Police are still relying on other offences to take action, and that suggests there might be barriers to progressing coercive control charges." "I think we really need to take a closer look at why that's happening." The most common coercive control behaviours identified were harassment, monitoring and tracking, followed by threats or intimidation and financial abuse. Around 60 per cent of incidents recorded multiple offences. The most common co-occurrence offences with coercive control were intimidation and stalking, DV assault, and malicious damage. Dr Boxall described co-occurrence offences such as stalking as a "critical point of intervention". READ MORE: 'I was instantly homeless': Women who prepare 'go bags' to escape violence "This is where we have a real opportunity to stop the escalation of abuse," she said. "But when it comes to reducing coercive control more broadly, I don't think it's helpful to pull the behaviours apart too much, to say 'this bit is about property damage' or 'this bit is about intimidation'. "We need to look at the bigger picture. "Coercive control is about patterns - it's about the way these behaviours interact and compound over time." Rates of coercive control in regional NSW are 60 per cent higher than the state average, according to the latest quarterly Coercive Control Monitoring report. The Far West and Orana regions, which include the regional centres of Dubbo and Broken Hill, were the worst areas in the state for coercive control, with a rate four times higher than the state average. The Central West, Murray and New England North West regions were not far behind, more than double the NSW average. The report, released on June 19 by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR), found there had been 224 coercive control incidents in NSW since new laws were introduced in 2024. Five had charges laid for coercive control and a further 91 had charges laid for other domestic and family violence offences, but not coercive control. Thirty-four per cent of victims were in the 30-39 year age bracket and 10 per cent of victims were Aboriginal. BOSCAR's executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald, labelled the result "unsurprising" to ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "We know that DV is higher in the regions; that is a pretty consistent pattern in crime statistics," she said. "It is an unfortunate element of the crime landscape in NSW." READ MORE: Sins of the father: the link between unloving dads and domestic violence "There is a whole range of issues in regional communities that are not as apparent in Sydney. "Economic disadvantage, lower employment rates, educational performance, and even health outcomes, are more problematic in regional NSW." A new offence of coercive control was introduced in NSW on July 1, 2024. The offence relates to abusive behaviours directed towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. Ms Fitzgerald said they were still waiting for a test case to indicate how the courts treat coercive control charges. "Only one coercive control case has gone to court in NSW, and the person pleaded guilty," she said. ANU criminologist Dr Hayley Boxall said it was concerning how few incidents result in formal proceedings. "Of the 224 incidents reported by BOCSAR, 127 didn't result in any charges being laid at all," she said. "So what's concerning for me is that we're not seeing widespread use of the new legislation yet. Police are still relying on other offences to take action, and that suggests there might be barriers to progressing coercive control charges." "I think we really need to take a closer look at why that's happening." The most common coercive control behaviours identified were harassment, monitoring and tracking, followed by threats or intimidation and financial abuse. Around 60 per cent of incidents recorded multiple offences. The most common co-occurrence offences with coercive control were intimidation and stalking, DV assault, and malicious damage. Dr Boxall described co-occurrence offences such as stalking as a "critical point of intervention". READ MORE: 'I was instantly homeless': Women who prepare 'go bags' to escape violence "This is where we have a real opportunity to stop the escalation of abuse," she said. "But when it comes to reducing coercive control more broadly, I don't think it's helpful to pull the behaviours apart too much, to say 'this bit is about property damage' or 'this bit is about intimidation'. "We need to look at the bigger picture. "Coercive control is about patterns - it's about the way these behaviours interact and compound over time." Rates of coercive control in regional NSW are 60 per cent higher than the state average, according to the latest quarterly Coercive Control Monitoring report. The Far West and Orana regions, which include the regional centres of Dubbo and Broken Hill, were the worst areas in the state for coercive control, with a rate four times higher than the state average. The Central West, Murray and New England North West regions were not far behind, more than double the NSW average. The report, released on June 19 by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR), found there had been 224 coercive control incidents in NSW since new laws were introduced in 2024. Five had charges laid for coercive control and a further 91 had charges laid for other domestic and family violence offences, but not coercive control. Thirty-four per cent of victims were in the 30-39 year age bracket and 10 per cent of victims were Aboriginal. BOSCAR's executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald, labelled the result "unsurprising" to ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "We know that DV is higher in the regions; that is a pretty consistent pattern in crime statistics," she said. "It is an unfortunate element of the crime landscape in NSW." READ MORE: Sins of the father: the link between unloving dads and domestic violence "There is a whole range of issues in regional communities that are not as apparent in Sydney. "Economic disadvantage, lower employment rates, educational performance, and even health outcomes, are more problematic in regional NSW." A new offence of coercive control was introduced in NSW on July 1, 2024. The offence relates to abusive behaviours directed towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. Ms Fitzgerald said they were still waiting for a test case to indicate how the courts treat coercive control charges. "Only one coercive control case has gone to court in NSW, and the person pleaded guilty," she said. ANU criminologist Dr Hayley Boxall said it was concerning how few incidents result in formal proceedings. "Of the 224 incidents reported by BOCSAR, 127 didn't result in any charges being laid at all," she said. "So what's concerning for me is that we're not seeing widespread use of the new legislation yet. Police are still relying on other offences to take action, and that suggests there might be barriers to progressing coercive control charges." "I think we really need to take a closer look at why that's happening." The most common coercive control behaviours identified were harassment, monitoring and tracking, followed by threats or intimidation and financial abuse. Around 60 per cent of incidents recorded multiple offences. The most common co-occurrence offences with coercive control were intimidation and stalking, DV assault, and malicious damage. Dr Boxall described co-occurrence offences such as stalking as a "critical point of intervention". READ MORE: 'I was instantly homeless': Women who prepare 'go bags' to escape violence "This is where we have a real opportunity to stop the escalation of abuse," she said. "But when it comes to reducing coercive control more broadly, I don't think it's helpful to pull the behaviours apart too much, to say 'this bit is about property damage' or 'this bit is about intimidation'. "We need to look at the bigger picture. "Coercive control is about patterns - it's about the way these behaviours interact and compound over time." Rates of coercive control in regional NSW are 60 per cent higher than the state average, according to the latest quarterly Coercive Control Monitoring report. The Far West and Orana regions, which include the regional centres of Dubbo and Broken Hill, were the worst areas in the state for coercive control, with a rate four times higher than the state average. The Central West, Murray and New England North West regions were not far behind, more than double the NSW average. The report, released on June 19 by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR), found there had been 224 coercive control incidents in NSW since new laws were introduced in 2024. Five had charges laid for coercive control and a further 91 had charges laid for other domestic and family violence offences, but not coercive control. Thirty-four per cent of victims were in the 30-39 year age bracket and 10 per cent of victims were Aboriginal. BOSCAR's executive director, Jackie Fitzgerald, labelled the result "unsurprising" to ACM, the publisher of this masthead. "We know that DV is higher in the regions; that is a pretty consistent pattern in crime statistics," she said. "It is an unfortunate element of the crime landscape in NSW." READ MORE: Sins of the father: the link between unloving dads and domestic violence "There is a whole range of issues in regional communities that are not as apparent in Sydney. "Economic disadvantage, lower employment rates, educational performance, and even health outcomes, are more problematic in regional NSW." A new offence of coercive control was introduced in NSW on July 1, 2024. The offence relates to abusive behaviours directed towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. Ms Fitzgerald said they were still waiting for a test case to indicate how the courts treat coercive control charges. "Only one coercive control case has gone to court in NSW, and the person pleaded guilty," she said. ANU criminologist Dr Hayley Boxall said it was concerning how few incidents result in formal proceedings. "Of the 224 incidents reported by BOCSAR, 127 didn't result in any charges being laid at all," she said. "So what's concerning for me is that we're not seeing widespread use of the new legislation yet. Police are still relying on other offences to take action, and that suggests there might be barriers to progressing coercive control charges." "I think we really need to take a closer look at why that's happening." The most common coercive control behaviours identified were harassment, monitoring and tracking, followed by threats or intimidation and financial abuse. Around 60 per cent of incidents recorded multiple offences. The most common co-occurrence offences with coercive control were intimidation and stalking, DV assault, and malicious damage. Dr Boxall described co-occurrence offences such as stalking as a "critical point of intervention". READ MORE: 'I was instantly homeless': Women who prepare 'go bags' to escape violence "This is where we have a real opportunity to stop the escalation of abuse," she said. "But when it comes to reducing coercive control more broadly, I don't think it's helpful to pull the behaviours apart too much, to say 'this bit is about property damage' or 'this bit is about intimidation'. "We need to look at the bigger picture. "Coercive control is about patterns - it's about the way these behaviours interact and compound over time."
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- News.com.au
Aussie state's ‘deeply disturbing' sexual assault stats
Sexual assault cases in the state of New South Wales have risen dramatically in the last two years, as experts scramble to figure out the reason behind these horrific statistics. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealed between March 2023 and March 2025 sexual assault reports rose 6.4 per cent in NSW, making it one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the country. The spike has also come with an increase of other crimes such as stalking and harassment, domestic violence and intimidation. This latest data supports what the Australian Bureau of Statistics released last year, that put sexual assault reports in Australia at a 31-year high. The reason behind the spike is up for debate, but many believe it is a mix of people reporting — thanks to anonymous reporting method Sexual Assault Reporting Option making up 22.8 per cent of reports in the last year — and the frequency of the crime taking place. A rise in people reporting these crimes Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of BOCSAR, said: 'These figures highlight the growing willingness of victims to speak out, supported by more accessible and confidential reporting pathways.' Experts in the field, such as Sarah Williams, the founder and CEO of What Were You Wearing, have weighed in on the spike in reported sexual assaults. 'I am not surprised at all. It is concerning, but there are a few different reasons for why. The more there has been things such as our rallies and organisations like ours actually talking about these issues and getting rid of the taboo nature of sexual assault, people are probably feeling more comfortable to report,' Ms Williams told 'Which means we can then sometimes see an increase — so it doesn't always mean that it is happening more.' However, at the same time, Ms Williams hears from victim-survivors essentially every day about what is happening to them. This points to a very real concern about the rate of sexual assault and harassment. Ms Williams said there has been a societal shift of people realising things aren't OK, and calling out bad behaviours, yet at the same time sexual assault is one of the few crimes on the rise in Australia. She also pointed out that the rise in public figures such as Andrew Tate make misogynistic content readily available to the world, including teenagers, empowering sexism, violence and misogyny. 'You have shows such as Adolescence, which was really good, but then you think about it now and no one talks about it anymore,' she said. She said even when WWYW posted a TikTok, it sometimes lands on the wrong For You Page and it will be filled with comments tearing down women — a sign to Ms Williams that not enough prevention is being done. 'You've got to meet people where they're at — where are men? We're about to start doing talks in schools, so that area is covered, but what about people between the ages of 40 to 60,' she asked. 'Where can you meet them? The NRL, State of Origin, the AFL?' Still one of Australia's most under-reported crimes She said it would be 'awesome' to see places such as this take up the mantle for women's rights. Sexual assault is one of the most under-reported crimes in Australia, and Ms Williams said this is due to a variety of reasons. 'One of them is the fear of not being believed, dismissed, interrogate or accused of lying. Victim blaming is at highest, and is one of the biggest drivers — in my opinion — of low reporting,' she said. Ms Williams also said that many victim-survivors feel as though law enforcement retraumatises them, and that we need 'trauma informed' training for police. This is compounded with a lack of trust in the court system, with just seven per cent of sexual assaults reported in New South Wales ending in a guilty verdict. Shame, guilt and self-blame are also factors when it comes to under-reporting, as well as lack of education on trauma responses such as 'freezing' — with Ms Williams saying the first time we learn about these things shouldn't be 'afterwards with a counsellor' and should be part of sexual assault education. 'Deeply disturbing statistics' A spokesperson from Teach Us Consent told that the statistics were 'deeply disturbing but not surprising'. 'While reported rates of sexual assault are at an all-time high, these statistics are still likely to be a serious underestimate of the reality because there are so many barriers to reporting,' the spokesperson said. 'These figures paint a concerning picture about the experiences of predominantly women across NSW – not only about sexual violence but gendered violence at large. 'There's something to be said when, during a time where the cost of living is so high, that incidents of theft from retail stores are rising at a slower rate than that of sexual assault.' The spokesperson added that without further research it is hard to determine the reason behind the increased figure, adding that SARO and accurate education about what actually constitutes sexual violence helps people recognise and report incidents. 'For incidents of sexual violence to genuinely decline, we must address the attitudes, behaviours and life experiences that cause it. Consent education is absolutely fundamental to achieving this,' the spokesperson said. 'Last month, Teach Us Consent launched over 100 freely available resources for young people to access content made by and for young people to get confident with consent, sex and relationships.' Meanwhile Karen Bevan, Full Stop Australia's CEO, did warn that the numbers we are seeing aren't a true reflection of how many people are impacted by sexual assault. Ms Bevan said; 'Sexual violence in NSW is more serious than even these rising numbers suggest. Most sexual violence is never reported – fewer than 10 per cent of victim survivors report to police, so they aren't represented in this data. 'We need to grapple with the true scale of this issue and act urgently to increase our prevention efforts, adequately resource for specialist sexual violence support services and take bold steps to improve access to justice for victim-survivors and increase accountability for those who commit these crimes.' The organisation has put forward a pre-budget submission to the NSW Government for a plot program to help improve the experience of victim-survivors who make it to court — which is just 15 per cent of reported cases. Ms Williams said that Australians should know that they deserve to heal after what happened to them, reaffirming it is not their fault and support is out there.
The Advertiser
10-06-2025
- The Advertiser
Domestic violence assaults surge up to 15 per cent over two years in NSW
Domestic violence and sexual assaults are surging in regional areas - some parts recording a spike of up to 24 per cent over just two years. The latest crime data shows in eight of 13 regional areas across NSW there was a rise in domestic violence-related assaults in the two years to March 2025. The biggest leap was in New England and the north west where the number of assaults leapt 14.8 per cent, followed by the Central West at 13.6 per cent. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Murray and Richmond-Tweed all recorded increases in attacks of 12 per cent or more, according to the NSW Recorded Crime Statistics March 2025 Quarterly Update. The average rise across regional NSW - which generally has much higher rates of domestic violence - over the 24 months was 4.1 per cent to greater Sydney's 3.2 per cent. "Of the three major offences trending upwards, the increase in domestic violence-related assault is the most geographically widespread," NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said. "Most of regional NSW and several Sydney locations are showing increases." She said family violence was increasing more sharply than intimate partner assaults - and there was an overall 9.5 per cent rise in child victims of domestic abuse. "It's possible that greater community awareness and proactive policing are encouraging more victims to come forward," Ms Fitzgerald said. Research released in early June found one in three Australian men admitted to violence against their partner, which included physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Across all regional areas of the state, only the Illawarra recorded a significant jump in incidences of sexual assault, which rose 24.3 per cent in two years, though in parts of Sydney they went up nearly 30 per cent. Ms Fitzgerald said online reporting of sexual assault had grown considerably since it was introduced in January 2023. Online reports now made up nearly a quarter of recorded incidents. "These figures highlight the growing willingness of victims to speak out, supported by more accessible and confidential reporting pathways", she said. The only other major crime to record an increase state wide was stealing from a motor vehicle, but this increased only in pockets of NSW. Domestic violence and sexual assaults are surging in regional areas - some parts recording a spike of up to 24 per cent over just two years. The latest crime data shows in eight of 13 regional areas across NSW there was a rise in domestic violence-related assaults in the two years to March 2025. The biggest leap was in New England and the north west where the number of assaults leapt 14.8 per cent, followed by the Central West at 13.6 per cent. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Murray and Richmond-Tweed all recorded increases in attacks of 12 per cent or more, according to the NSW Recorded Crime Statistics March 2025 Quarterly Update. The average rise across regional NSW - which generally has much higher rates of domestic violence - over the 24 months was 4.1 per cent to greater Sydney's 3.2 per cent. "Of the three major offences trending upwards, the increase in domestic violence-related assault is the most geographically widespread," NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said. "Most of regional NSW and several Sydney locations are showing increases." She said family violence was increasing more sharply than intimate partner assaults - and there was an overall 9.5 per cent rise in child victims of domestic abuse. "It's possible that greater community awareness and proactive policing are encouraging more victims to come forward," Ms Fitzgerald said. Research released in early June found one in three Australian men admitted to violence against their partner, which included physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Across all regional areas of the state, only the Illawarra recorded a significant jump in incidences of sexual assault, which rose 24.3 per cent in two years, though in parts of Sydney they went up nearly 30 per cent. Ms Fitzgerald said online reporting of sexual assault had grown considerably since it was introduced in January 2023. Online reports now made up nearly a quarter of recorded incidents. "These figures highlight the growing willingness of victims to speak out, supported by more accessible and confidential reporting pathways", she said. The only other major crime to record an increase state wide was stealing from a motor vehicle, but this increased only in pockets of NSW. Domestic violence and sexual assaults are surging in regional areas - some parts recording a spike of up to 24 per cent over just two years. The latest crime data shows in eight of 13 regional areas across NSW there was a rise in domestic violence-related assaults in the two years to March 2025. The biggest leap was in New England and the north west where the number of assaults leapt 14.8 per cent, followed by the Central West at 13.6 per cent. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Murray and Richmond-Tweed all recorded increases in attacks of 12 per cent or more, according to the NSW Recorded Crime Statistics March 2025 Quarterly Update. The average rise across regional NSW - which generally has much higher rates of domestic violence - over the 24 months was 4.1 per cent to greater Sydney's 3.2 per cent. "Of the three major offences trending upwards, the increase in domestic violence-related assault is the most geographically widespread," NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said. "Most of regional NSW and several Sydney locations are showing increases." She said family violence was increasing more sharply than intimate partner assaults - and there was an overall 9.5 per cent rise in child victims of domestic abuse. "It's possible that greater community awareness and proactive policing are encouraging more victims to come forward," Ms Fitzgerald said. Research released in early June found one in three Australian men admitted to violence against their partner, which included physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Across all regional areas of the state, only the Illawarra recorded a significant jump in incidences of sexual assault, which rose 24.3 per cent in two years, though in parts of Sydney they went up nearly 30 per cent. Ms Fitzgerald said online reporting of sexual assault had grown considerably since it was introduced in January 2023. Online reports now made up nearly a quarter of recorded incidents. "These figures highlight the growing willingness of victims to speak out, supported by more accessible and confidential reporting pathways", she said. The only other major crime to record an increase state wide was stealing from a motor vehicle, but this increased only in pockets of NSW. Domestic violence and sexual assaults are surging in regional areas - some parts recording a spike of up to 24 per cent over just two years. The latest crime data shows in eight of 13 regional areas across NSW there was a rise in domestic violence-related assaults in the two years to March 2025. The biggest leap was in New England and the north west where the number of assaults leapt 14.8 per cent, followed by the Central West at 13.6 per cent. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, the Murray and Richmond-Tweed all recorded increases in attacks of 12 per cent or more, according to the NSW Recorded Crime Statistics March 2025 Quarterly Update. The average rise across regional NSW - which generally has much higher rates of domestic violence - over the 24 months was 4.1 per cent to greater Sydney's 3.2 per cent. "Of the three major offences trending upwards, the increase in domestic violence-related assault is the most geographically widespread," NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said. "Most of regional NSW and several Sydney locations are showing increases." She said family violence was increasing more sharply than intimate partner assaults - and there was an overall 9.5 per cent rise in child victims of domestic abuse. "It's possible that greater community awareness and proactive policing are encouraging more victims to come forward," Ms Fitzgerald said. Research released in early June found one in three Australian men admitted to violence against their partner, which included physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Across all regional areas of the state, only the Illawarra recorded a significant jump in incidences of sexual assault, which rose 24.3 per cent in two years, though in parts of Sydney they went up nearly 30 per cent. Ms Fitzgerald said online reporting of sexual assault had grown considerably since it was introduced in January 2023. Online reports now made up nearly a quarter of recorded incidents. "These figures highlight the growing willingness of victims to speak out, supported by more accessible and confidential reporting pathways", she said. The only other major crime to record an increase state wide was stealing from a motor vehicle, but this increased only in pockets of NSW.
