A Melbourne barrister’s suggestion that some women make false allegations about sexual assault has triggered calls for a review of legal education from more than 90 survivors and women’s safety leaders.
The group, including 11 anti-violence sector chief executives, says victim-survivors could be denied vital services if a proposal by barrister Geoffrey Steward that victims should only be recognised if the perpetrator confesses or is found guilty gained support.
Steward last month criticised a Victorian government media release which said, “victim-survivors deserve to be heard, believed and protected” for not showing interest in “accused-survivors” – a term referring to those accused of sexual assault but whose charges are not proved.
The release announced Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny’s creation of a Victim Survivor Justice Advisory Group to drive reform strengthening responses to sexual violence.
The group will consult on reforms to ensure victim-survivors’ counselling and health records cannot be used in court without their consent, and allow them to pre-record evidence.
In a post on LinkedIn criticising the press release, Steward said, “victim survivors ought not to be regarded as individuals who make allegation(s) of sexual offending where an accused is not found guilty of [the] same”.
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