Calls for rape to included in Crisafulli’s Adult Crime, Adult Time laws

A new poll of Queensland women reveals overwhelming demand for the LNP to make rape a part of adult crime, adult time law reforms.

More than 99 per cent of Queensland women want to see the Queensland government bring in harsher sentences for juveniles found guilty of rape and to be made a priority over car theft, according to a poll of more than 500 women across the Sunshine State.

Rape was one of several serious crimes left out of the newly elected government’s youth justice law reforms in December that Premier David Crisafulli campaigned on to “put victims” first.

As part of Fight for the Forgotten, the Queensland government has been called on by women, survivors, advocates and politicians to include rape in the next tranche of law reforms.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has avoided promising to include rape under Adult Crime, Adult Times laws, despite promising that attempted murder would be. Pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

On Wednesday, the Crisafulli government again refused to respond to questions about whether or not the party will ensure rape crimes are included in the next raft of laws.

The party has said it isn’t up to them to decide, rather an expert legal panel – this is despite Mr Crisafulli promising at a press conference that attempted murder would be added in the next round of law reforms in the wake of an alleged stabbing of an Ipswich supermarket worker.

Of the 522 women polled across Townsville, Toowoomba, Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, 99.3 per cent said the jail terms for teenagers convicted of rape should be taken more seriously and prioritised over those guilty of multiple car thefts.

As of Wednesday evening, in an online poll of 1018 readers, 96 per cent of people said rape should be considered an “adult crime”.

Even though 500-plus Queensland women have said when polled that they want guilty teen rapists to receive harsher sentences than serial car thieves, Attorney General Deb Frecklington has refused to promise that will be the case by including rape in the next tranche of Making Qld Safer laws. Picture: Supplied

A number of women approached during polling said despite not agreeing with the policy of ‘adult crime, adult time’, they still believed in harsher punishments for those found guilty of rape, regardless of age.

Townsville woman Brooke, 26, said she was disgusted that rape was not included in the law reforms.

“I think every woman in Australia would agree to this,” she said.

“What is wrong with our legislations? It’s so, so, so disgusting and disappointing.”

Kate, 33, said the effect that rape crimes had on victims and society ran deeper than that of property crime.

“The trauma occurred from a sexual assault is so much harder to remedy than replacing a car,” she said.

“You can take my belongings, but don’t touch me.”

A 77-year-old Mermaid Waters woman, Joy, echoed that sentiment.

“Once you’ve been raped that can make women suicidal,” she said.

“They don’t only rape someone, they ruin them for life.

“It’s a life sentence for a woman.”

Miami and Varsity Lakes women Sarah and Lily, both 22, said they were outraged that the government seemed to care more about protecting people’s property than people.

“It makes me angry, and it’s stupid,” the friends agreed.

“(Rape) is never taken as seriously as other crimes.”

An 80-year-old woman from Hope Island, Dee, said it was concerning that crimes against women were still not being treated as seriously as they should be.

“Women are just less thought of than men,” she said.

“It makes me angry that we don’t have a voice and the glass ceiling is there still.”

Originally published as Calls for rape to included in Crisafulli’s Adult Crime, Adult Time laws