Released 25/10/2018
New legislation implementing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was today introduced into the Legislative Assembly.
Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay said the new legislation will make clear the obligation of those in a position of authority in an institution with responsibility for the care and wellbeing of children, to take action to protect children from the risk of being sexually abused by someone such as an employee of the institution.
“Sexual abuse of a child is a terrible crime that is perpetrated against the most vulnerable in our community. It is a fundamental breach of the trust which children are entitled to place in adults,” Minister Ramsay said.
Minister Ramsay said the changes contained in the Bill build on the ACT Government’s earlier reforms, passed in February responding to the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
“This Bill implements a further eight recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in its Final Criminal Justice Report, in addition to a number of other reforms identified by stakeholders following consultation.
“While sexual violence cannot be eliminated through law reform alone, legal measures are an essential component of any response.
“The Bill will help to support the protection of children from sexual abuse, and ensure that those who sexually abuse children are held accountable for their actions.
“The legal process can be an emotional and difficult time for victims of sexual abuse, and this legislation will also provide additional protections for them.”
The new legislation will:
- Create a new offence that applies to people in authority in an institution who fail to protect against child sexual abuse.
- Create a procedural mechanism for charging offences as a ‘course of conduct’ for child sexual abuse.
- Ensure that sentences for child sexual abuse are aligned with current sentencing practice rather than the sentencing practice at the time of the offending.
- Extend special measures for vulnerable witnesses who give evidence in court to reduce, as far as possible, the trauma associated with giving evidence in sexual abuse and other matters.
The Bill continues the ACT Government’s implementation of the Royal Commission recommendations as a priority, and will be followed next year by further criminal and civil justice law reforms as recommended by the Commission.
- Statement ends -
Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Media Releases
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