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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Jasper Lindell

Review to consider justice alternatives for sexual assault in ACT

A review will consider how sexual violence victim survivors could access an expanded restorative justice system or options in the civil justice system.

Two extra restorative justice convenors are also set to expand access to the ACT's program, which brings victims and perpetrators face to face in guided conferences.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury will on Monday announce a comprehensive review of the 20-year-old restorative justice scheme, to be completed by RMIT University's Centre for Innovative Justice.

"Funding from the Confiscated Assets Trust will provide for an extra restorative justice convenor in addition to the new convenor and administrative support funded in the 2024-25 budget," Mr Rattenbury said.

"This boost to the ACT's restorative justice scheme will ensure that the positive outcomes we know can be achieved in restorative justice are more accessible to members of the community harmed by crime."

Mr Rattenbury said researchers at RMIT University would complete two main projects: a review of the scheme and the Crimes (Restorative Justice) Act 2004, and research into expanded restorative justice and alternative civil justice options for victim survivors of sexual violence.

"The ACT's restorative justice scheme was and remains a nation-leading model of restorative justice, however, this review will ensure it remains responsive to the evolving needs of our community and takes into account contemporary best-practice in the delivery of restorative justice," he said.

The review will consider the strengths of the existing scheme, barriers to access and options for improvement.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury. Picture by Keegan Carroll

Research into alternative justice options for sexual assault cases was in response to a recommendation from the 2021 Listen. Take Action to Prevent, Believe and Heal report handed to the ACT government by the sexual assault prevention and response steering committee.

The report recommended the government research and pilot "additional mechanisms to hold perpetrators to account", including by expanding restorative justice processes and "alternative civil justice regimes".

The review of the scheme and research will be completed by the end of the year, the government said.

Centre for Innovative Justice associate director Elena Campbell said the centre was excited to be working with the ACT and the community on the projects.

"We're committed to looking at ways to bring about positive change for victims of crime. The evidence will be put to good use to improve the implementation and accessibility of restorative justice in the ACT and explore alternative civil justice options for victim-survivors of sexual violence," Ms Campbell said.

Ms Campbell was in May appointed to the federal government's expert panel on domestic and family violence.

The ACT first introduced its restorative justice scheme nearly two decades ago, with an expansion to cover domestic, family and sexual violence offences in 2018.

Mr Rattenbury last year said people who had not been involved in a restorative justice conference might consider it a soft option, but this was not the reality.

"It can be very confronting, having to sit there and have your victim tell you the impact you've had on their lives, the trauma that's caused them, how unsafe they feel in the community," he said.

"Now, those sort of things are, you know, important for perpetrators to hear and the research and evaluation shows it does have a powerful impact on the perpetrators in terms of reducing reoffending."

  • Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
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