20 September 2023
A partnership between Victim Support Act and Women’s Legal Centre ACT has been selected as one of three pilots across Australia to provide a specialised and trauma-informed legal service for sexual assault victim-survivors.
The new pilot service will provide victim-survivors of sexual violence with trauma informed services, including legal advice and representation to support their engagement in the criminal justice system and related legal issues. The legal services will be provided as part of an integrated service model that includes a specialist case manager working alongside the lawyers, to provide tailored and holistic support to victim-survivors.
Support will be provided to victim-survivors at all stages of their engagement with the criminal justice system, including general advice and information, engagement with police, and the prosecution, support and advice during the criminal proceedings and post-sentence, referrals, and wraparound client support coordination via Victims Support ACT.
The Listen. Take action to prevent, believe and heal report commissioned by the ACT government showed that two in three victim-survivors of sexual assault reported negative experiences of their engagement with the criminal justice system. They lamented their lack of a voice and limited participation in court proceedings.
The new service hopes to change that story.
This service is an innovative program building on the work supporting victims of crime the Women’s Legal Centre and Victims of Crime Commissioner have done for many years.