Sexual violence response
The Queensland Government recently announced it is investing $12 million over four years to prevent and respond to sexual violence across the state.
The investment will focus on tackling youth sexual violence, supporting the government’s response to the final report of the Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse Steering Committee, released in late July 2018.
The report found that sexual violence can affect young people in any part of the state, and has far-reaching impacts on their health, social and emotional wellbeing. Girls, young women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people experience some of the highest rates of sexual violence.
The $12 million investment will include enhancements for sexual assault and child sexual abuse services in areas of high need, to ensure that young people who have experienced sexual violence can access the support they need. It will also deliver three place-based trials focusing on preventing and responding to youth sexual violence, which will work with communities and focus on education and prevention activities, and a strong evidence base to inform future responses.
Importantly, the investment underpins the government’s broader commitment to preventing and responding to all forms of sexual violence experienced by Queenslanders.
Minister Di Farmer said that the government’s next steps need to start with an open conversation with all Queenslanders to bring sexual violence out of the shadows.
“In the age of movements like #metoo and #timesup we cannot stand by while another generation of women and girls live in fear of sexual violence. We hope this conversation will focus attention on the experiences of women and girls and start to make the change we all need to see,” Minister Farmer said.
The Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women will be undertaking engagement and stakeholder consultation on issues related to sexual violence, including violence against women, youth sexual violence and child sexual abuse, over the coming months.
More information, including the report and government response, can be found on the department’s website.