About the campaign
1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men experience sexual assault - it is the only crime to be increasing in Australia.
Only 10% of victim/survivors of sexual assault report to police.
Of those who do report to Police most don’t have their reports investigated, charges brought, or prosecution in a court commenced.
Of the handful of victim/survivor’s whose perpetrators see a court room - only about 30% are convicted.
We have to change this picture - starting at the bottom of the pipeline to compel Police to treat aggravated child sexual assault with a duty of care, and a minimum standard of investigation, is essential to build confidence in the Police and justice system.
But - this is not just about aggravated child sexual assault - it is about other serious crimes that the police have also failed to investigate. Those victims and their families, friends, Communities and loved ones, deserve proper investigations too. The murders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the murders and bashings of gay men and the murders of women (allegedly) by their partners - all of these deserve to be properly investigated. Karen’s case is just one of many examples.
1. [Name withheld] Victorian case - sexual assault and domestic violence - failure of police to keep victim safe - leaking information to perpetrator - IBAC report
Survivor of police-perpetrated family violence failed by Victorian corruption watchdog, report finds - ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-11/report-reveals-police-ibac-failed-family-violence-survivor/101521332
‘Devastating’ outcomes for woman abused by police officer husband after Ibac failures, report finds | Victoria | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/11/devastating-outcomes-for-woman-abused-by-police-officer-husband-after-ibac-failures-report-finds
IBAC’s referral and oversight of Emma’s complaints about Victoria police’s response to family violence by a police officer - October 2022 | Victorian Inspectorate https://www.vicinspectorate.vic.gov.au/ibacs-referral-and-oversight-emmas-complaints-about-victoria-polices-response-family-violence
2. [Name withheld] QLD case - aggravated sexual assault QLD - failure of police to investigate - destruction of evidence
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/queensland-police-reveal-destroying-evidence/10962494
3. [Names withheld] Multiple victim/survivors of sexual assaults and domestic violence - QLD police destruction of evidence
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/17/queensland-police-accused-investigation-rape
4. Mona Smith (16) and Jacinta ‘Cindy’ Smith (15) - Aboriginal girls - death near Bourke - sexual assaults - police failings to investigate
https://casefilepodcast.com/case-152-cindy-mona-lisa-smith/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-29/bourke-coronial-inquest-resumes-after-34-years/101266506
5. Mark Anthony Haines (17) - Aboriginal boy - death and police investigation.
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/truecrime/blood-on-the-tracks-ep1/9772318
6. Scott Johnson and dozens and dozens of other murders and bashings of gay men in Sydney - police involvement - police culture - failure to investigate
https://www.sbs.com.au/gayhatedecades/
https://www.9now.com.au/under-investigation/season-4/episode-2
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61303012
https://www.mamamia.com.au/scott-johnson-murder-case/
7. Sandrine Jourdan - disappearance / murder (2012) - failings in police response
https://www.mamamia.com.au/sandrine-jourdan/
8. Lynette Daley - sexual assault and murder - Aboriginal woman - failings of justice system
https://www.mamamia.com.au/lynette-daley/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-09/callous-disregard-promo/7388056
9. Stacey Thorne - murder of Aboriginal woman - police investigation and compromised evidence
https://www.mamamia.com.au/who-killed-stacey-thorne/
10. Tina Greer - coroner criticised police failings to investigate - failure to interview partner who was known to police (domestic violence) https://www.mamamia.com.au/tina-greer-murder/
11. Lynette Dawson - domestic violence - death - (lack of adequate) police investigation stalled justice