Investment of $21.4m to address barriers to access to justice for victims and survivors
The Albanese government, which tabled the report of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) following its inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence, announced that it is piloting specialist, trauma-informed sexual assault legal services in each state and territory.
The ALRC’s report – Safe, Informed, Supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence – highlighted the systemic barriers to victims and survivors reporting sexual violence and dealing with the justice system. Navigating this system then places them at risk for more harm or re-traumatisation, the report said.
“Seeking justice should not add to the trauma experienced by victims and survivors,” said Mark Dreyfus, Australia’s attorney-general, in a joint media release with government ministers Katy Gallagher and Amanda Rishworth.
“Far too many women experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and for many, their experience with the justice system can only add to that trauma,” said Gallagher, Australia’s minister for women, in the media release. “This report from the ALRC is an important step towards ending that cycle of trauma.”
The federal executive government commenced the ALRC’s inquiry in an effort to explore how to improve the experience of victims and survivors in the justice system and to look into the applicable laws, legal frameworks, justice sector practices, support services, and transformative justice approaches, the media release shared.
“We are working to ensure victim-survivors have better experiences and get better outcomes from their engagement with the justice system – so people impacted by violence can achieve justice and people using violence and abuse are held to account,” said Rishworth, Australia’s social services minister, in the media release.
“Victims and survivors of sexual violence deserve to have confidence that they will be safe and supported to report these crimes,” Dreyfus said in the media release. “At the same time, it is vital the right to a fair trial be preserved.”
According to the media release, the government has been carefully weighing how to address the ALRC’s recommendations in its report.
“We will continue to work hand in hand with victim-survivors, advocates, and states and territories on the next steps from this report,” Gallagher said in the media release.
The government has taken action to build upon its ongoing efforts in this area. In particular, it plans to invest $21.4m from 2025–26 to improve governmental support for sexual violence victims and survivors.
According to the media release, this investment will include the following:
“We welcome the findings and recommendations of the ALRC and will carefully consider how they may help us achieve our goal of better protecting victim-survivors,” Rishworth said in the media release.
“I thank the ALRC for its hard work conducting this inquiry and to all those who contributed to it, especially the victims and survivors who generously shared their lived experience in order to improve outcomes for others,” Dreyfus said in the media release.
