Teenager ‘sexually assaulted’ in military became DV offender

A Central Queensland court has heard how a teenager who was ‘sexually assaulted’ while serving in the military went on to become a domestic violence offender later in life.

Devastating details about a Central Queensland man’s ongoing mental health battles linked to his military service have been heard in a domestic violence court case. Generic image.

Devastating details about a Central Queensland man’s ongoing mental health battles after he was “sexually assaulted” as a teenager while serving in the Australian military have been heard by a court.

Gladstone Magistrates Court heard the man in his 30s, who by law cannot be named, served four years in the military from the age of 18.

The court heard the man had been seen as “fresh meat” when, at the age of 18, he was sexually assaulted in the military through the practice of “hazing”.

By definition, hazing refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of their willingness to participate.

In court last week, the man pleaded guilty to two counts of contravening a domestic violence order and his solicitor Cassandra Ditchfield explained his back story.

“His mental health (problem) stems from his service in the armed forces,” Ms Ditchfield said.

Ms Ditchfield said the man suffered from post traumatic stress disorder due to the atrocities he saw while deployed overseas.

“Your Honour, the other very unfortunate and concerning feature of his military service, which has also contributed to his mental health, was that he was sexually assaulted by other members and also a superior on two separate occasions at the age of 18 during that service,” Ms Ditchfield said.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The solicitor said it was not “a traditional sexual assault” as normally seen by the courts.

She said rather, the then teenager was “humiliated”.

“Essentially because he was young and fresh meat, so to speak,” Ms Ditchfield said.

“He was unfortunately the victim of that form of hazing.

“And that’s had a significant impact on him also.”

The court heard the man had been seeing a psychologist fortnightly since 2019 and a psychologist’s report was tendered.

The court was told the man had also seen a psychiatrist monthly for more than four years.

Ms Ditchfield said the man had been hospitalised on four separate occasions due to his mental health - for between two and four weeks at a time.

“So his mental health has been a significant concern,” Ms Ditchfield said.

In relation to the two domestic violence offences before the court, they happened over a period between 2021 and 2022.

The court heard the man and the aggrieved had exchanged 13,664 text messages which included “unpleasantness in both directions.”

Further, the court was told that “the vast majority” of the text messages related to the pair’s children and that form of contact was allowed.

Before imposing penalty, Magistrate Mary Buchanan noted the man, with a two-page criminal history, had been subjected to humiliating assaults during his military service.

She also noted the man had taken ownership for his DV offending.

Ms Buchanan fined him $1500 and convictions were recorded.

The Australian Defence Force was contacted for comment.