WA records highest number of sexual assault victims in 32 years, advocate calls for dedicated minister

WA has recorded the highest number of sexual assault victims in more than three decades — more than half of them children — prompting calls for Roger Cook to appoint a dedicated minister to deal with the issue with the “urgency it deserves”. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released this week showed the number of sexual assault victims in WA increased by 9 per cent last year to 3721 victims — the highest number in the 32 years. Most of those victims were female (86 per cent) and nearly half were children aged between 10 and 17. A large percentage (74 per cent) of the sexual assaults happened at a residential home and did not involve the use of a weapon. A third of all of the incidents were related to family and domestic violence. Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing chief executive Alison Evans said the data would no doubt leave people “seriously concerned”. Dr Evans said information from WA service providers suggests that, while reporting of sexual assaults were still under-reported, it is on the rise. “A growing number of young women under 18 are disclosing sexual violence from other young people, mostly young men,” she said. “This includes young men known to them, that they are in a relationship and who are unknown to them.” Dr Evans added a growing number of young people’s first understanding of sex is from pornography and the media, where there can be harmful, misleading or inaccurate depictions of relationships. The latest concerning figures have prompted Dr Evans to call for the Cook Government to set-up a dedicated ministerial portfolio for sexual violence. “Ministerial leadership is essential if this issue is to receive the visibility, accountability, and urgency it deserves,” she said. “Without it, sexual violence will continue to be treated as a series of disconnected crises, rather than the systemic problem it is. “What is missing is the leadership and investment to act. Governments must fully commit to prevention, early intervention, and specialist support for victim-survivors and their families. Crucially, they must engage with the specialist sexual violence sector who bring the evidence and experience.” Dr Evans said access to trauma-informed services could be life-changing — and life-saving. But she said “chronically underfunded and oversubscribed, sexual assault support services cannot meet demand or unmet need”. “Why – when the need for these services is so high – is the urgency of this being ignored?” she said. “If we truly wish to end sexual violence and abuse, and help victim — survivors to rebuild their lives, we must commit to an immediate funding uplift as an absolute bare minimum. “Victim-survivors are already paying the price. The longer their safety and wellbeing is deprioritised, the more dire the situation will become.” Dr Evans pointed to the recent cases of child sexual abuse uncovered in childcare centres — saying they demonstrate the “cost of inaction”. When The West Australian asked if Mr Cook had, or will, consider appointing a sexual violence minister, a response from a State Government spokesman did not answer the question. However, the spokesman said the Government was committed to addressing gendered violence, investing $500 million in new funding since 2017 to raise awareness, hold perpetrators to account and support victim-survivors, the majority being women and children. “There is a cultural shift underway. Gendered violence is no longer tolerated, ignored or something that only happens to others behind closed doors,” he said. “We cannot forget we are dealing with entrenched issues that will take time to change – but the Cook Government will continue to work at it each and every day. “That’s why our Government appointed the State’s first Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence and we have been unwavering in our efforts ever since. “We will continue to work with advocates and victim-survivors so that authorities can better respond to all gendered violence incidents.” The ABS figures also revealed 40 per cent of the victims of homicide in WA last year were family and domestic violence related, as were two thirds of assaults reported. 1800 RESPECT