What is the justice system willing to offer? : understanding sexual assault victim/survivors' criminal justice needs / Haley Clark.

Melbourne : Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010.

89860

Justice, Administration of -- Australia.

Family violence -- Australia.

Rape -- Australia.

Victims of family violence -- Australia.

In April 2009, the Australian Government declared a 'zero tolerance' position on violence against women and children, and acknowledged that, 'The Laws must be strong enough to hold perpetrators to account and offer justice and safety for victims and their families'. Indeed, there is increasing emphasis on responding to the needs of victim/survivors of sexual assault within Australian criminal justice systems. This has been demonstrated through myriad procedural and substantive law reforms that have been introduced over the past 40 years. Nonetheless, research continues to demonstrate that prosecution and conviction rates for sexual offences are not increasing, and that criminal justice system procedures are distressing and traumatising for victim/survivors. Understanding what victim/survivors see as justice and what they consider to be fair procedures are key to developing procedures to meet their needs. Drawing on the narratives of 22 victim/survivors of sexual assault, this article identifies what justice means to these victim/survivors and discusses four key aspects that relate to their procedural justice needs information, validation, voice and control. The article considers how these can be applied to system procedures to promote meaningful and worthwhile justice system responses for victim/survivors of sexual assault. - Abstract.

Viewed on 19 June 2020.

1 online resource (28-37 pages) : digital, PDF