Rape ... It's Time for Change

A Best Practice Model for the Prosecution of Complaints of Sexual Assault by the NSW Rape Crisis Centre and Dr Anne Cossins

The management of complaints of sexual assault in the NSW criminal justice system is in urgent need of reform. The reforms must: increase reporting rates, decrease systemic re-traumatisation of complaints and increase convictions.

To read the report click here. (PDF 62KB)

Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Task Force

In December 2004, as a result of representations by NSW Rape Crisis Centre and Dr Anne Cossins from the Law Faculty of the University of NSW, the NSW Attorney General The Honourable Bob Debus established the Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Task Force. The Task Force met for 12 months and reported to the Attorney General in December 2005. The Task Force was charged with:

Evaluate models for the prosecution of sexual assault offences.
Evaluate proposals for legislative and procedural change in the area of sexual assault prosecutions in NSW.
Identification of areas of possible reform in relation to the provision of services for sexual assault victims.

The Attorney General is reviewing the Taskforce recommendations and an announcement is expected in the near future.

To read the report click here. (PDF 1.5MB)

Media Articles and Interviews click here.

Crimes Amendment (Consent - Sexual Assault Offences) Bill 2007 - 14 November 2007 (PDF 247KB)

Speeches - The Crimes Amendment (Consent-Sexual Assault Offences) Bill 2007
- Verity Firth MP- Legislative Assembly 14 November 2007 (PDF 33KB)

Pru Goward MP- Legislative Assembly, 14 November 2007 (PDF 27KB)
Lylea McMahon MP- Legislative Assembly 14 November 2007 (PDF 19KB)
Rob Stokes MP- Legislative Assembly 14 November 2007 (PDF 14KB)
Jodi McKay MP - Legislative Assembly 14 November 2007 (PDF 23KB)
Lee Rhiannon MLC- Legislative Council, 13 November 2007 (PDF 32KB)
Robyn Parker MLC- Legislative Council, 13 November 2007 (PDF 18KB)
Attorney-General's Reading into Parliament - Legislative Council, 7 November 2007 (PDF 29KB)

Copy of Letter from the NSW Attorney General to the NSW Bar Association, September 2007 (PDF 52KB), click here

Copy of Media Release by the NSW Attorney General "New Consent Laws to Further Protect Victims, 29 May 2007 (PDF 33KB), click here.

Copy of "The Law of Consent and Sexual Assault" Discussion Paper, May 2007 by the Criminal Law Review Division, Attorney General's Department (PDF 367KB), click here.

Copy of Dr Anne Cossins speech provided to the Institute of Criminology, University of Sydney on 5/9/06 "The Prosecution of Child Sex Offences: To Specialise or Not - That is the Question" (PDF 77KB), click here.