News

New AIC research explores victim-survivor views of alternative reporting options for sexual assault

Link to: Alternative reporting options for sexual assault: Perspectives of victim-survivors

Qualitative research by researchers from RMIT University and the University of Wollongong exploring the use of alternative reporting options for sexual assault has shown:

Victim-survivors may prefer alternative options to reporting because of fear or intimidation associated with formal reporting, to regain power and control, to document their experiences, to protect the community, and to gain access to support services.
Both victim-survivors and support workers expressed concern over the lack of follow-up once a report had been made.
Alternative reporting processes were often seen as an alternative means of holding perpetrators accountable, outside of the formal justice process, rather than as a pathway to police reporting.