Australia’s first ‘one-stop-shop’ response to sexual assault victims

Australia’s first ‘one-stop-shop’ response to sexual assault victims Victoria has established two specialised sexual assault centres in Frankston and Mildura. They represent a significant advancement in service delivery to sexual assault victims by providing centralised access to forensic medical practitioners, social workers, victims’ advocates, police investigators and interpreters in one location. Other Victorian reforms to… Read More »Custom Single Post Header

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board

Australia’s first ‘one-stop-shop’ response to sexual assault victims

Australia’s first ‘one-stop-shop’ response to sexual assault victims
Victoria has established two specialised sexual assault centres in Frankston and Mildura. They represent a significant advancement in service delivery to sexual assault victims by providing centralised access to forensic medical practitioners, social workers, victims’ advocates, police investigators and interpreters in one location.
Other Victorian reforms to improve responses to sexual assault include the establishment of a team of forensic nurses, a Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team within the Victoria Police, a dedicated team of prosecutors to manage sexual assault cases, specialist lists in the Magistrates and County Courts and additional counselling services.

Comment: This is an excellent move, in which the sum will be greater than the parts. Australia has not yet mirrored developments in the USA where there are some one stop shop responses to domestic violence, encompassing these types of professionals all working together.

Part of Source: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Forced Marriage

On November 1st 2023, Accredited Family Law Specialist and Page Provan Director Stephen Page presented a paper at the Brisbane Zonta Club about forced marriage. I acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, on whose lands we meet today, their elders, past, present and emerging. Ruqia Hidari was aged 21 and living in Victoria, when, according to police,… Read More »Forced Marriage

ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

The ACT Government has today introduced a bill to amend the ACT’s surrogacy laws. The proposed changes are more incremental than fundamental. They include allowing a single person to undertake surrogacy, for the surrogate to be single if needed, a requirement for legal advice and counselling beforehand, a written agreement being required, that traditional surrogacy is… Read More »ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

Planning to resolve: ADR in ART

ADR can help resolve disputes in ART cases. ADR is not limited to mediation and arbitration. Other types of informal dispute resolution can resolve disputes. When assisted reproductive treatment cases go off the rails, they can have the next level of bitterness and volatility. There can be a keen sense of betrayal when things don’t… Read More »Planning to resolve: ADR in ART