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Second Submission to the Joint Select Committee's Inquiry into Australia's Family Law System
Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia state that the safety of those who experience sexual, domestic and/or family violence and their children who are likely to have also been exposed to these types of violence must be prioritised within the family law system. This safety should be an absolute priority at every stage of the family law process.
Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission's review of consent in relation to sexual offences - Draft Proposals
Submission to Queensland's Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee's review of the Police Powers and Responsibilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019
First Submission to the Joint Select Committee's Inquiry into Australia's Family Law System
Submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission's review of the Committal Process in Victoria
Submission to Queensland's Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee's review of Weapons and Other Legislation (Firearms Offences) Amendment Bill 2019
Submission to the NSW Legislative Council’s Inquiry into the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019
Preliminary Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission's Open Justice Review
R&DVSA understand there will always be a need to consider open justice within the NSW Court and Tribunal systems. However, when considering legislative prohibitions on the disclosure or publication of Court proceedings, there should always be careful consideration of the rights of complainants and witnesses, particularly those who have experienced sexual, domestic or family violence.
1 - Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces
R&DVSA endorse the full set of recommendations made by Unions NSW in their submission to this inquiry. The current anti-discrimination framework which deals with sexual harassment through an individualised complaints process is not working. It places an unacceptable burden on individuals who have experienced sexual harassment to enforce their rights and hold perpetrators and employers to account. Further, it delivers severely limited remedies that have little capacity to prevent future harassment or deliver cultural change.
2 - Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces, The Power to Prevent coalition
Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission Review of Consent in Relation to Sexual Offences
The NSW criminal justice system is failing people impacted by sexual violence. Despite decades of legislative reform, sexual offences remain under-reported, under-prosecuted and under-convicted. 4 For complainants, the criminal justice process continues to result in retraumatisation more commonly than it results in either justice or healing.
Submission to NSW Sentencing Council review of sentencing for murder and manslaughter
R&DVSA is concerned that many judicial officers prescribe to outdated views about domestic and family violence that may impact their assessments of sentencing factors such as culpability, harm, risk and social costs.