A new study by researchers from Queensland University of Technology and the Bravehearts Foundation examines the views of victim-survivors towards a range of measures typically used for people with convictions for sexual offending. The research shows:
Broad support for a range of containment-oriented and assistance-oriented measures, including electronic monitoring, non-public sex offender registers, psychological treatment and parole supervision.
Views on public sex offender registers were mixed. Support was based on the understanding that public information would equip the community to prevent reoffending. However, concerns were raised about the possibility that the victim-survivor could also be identified and that public release of information could retraumatise the victim-survivor.
Parole was considered an additional layer of monitoring to assist with reducing the risks of reoffending in the community, although there were concerns about parole being given too early in a sentence and the risk of further serious offending following release from prison.
