Rape and reported rape numbers in Townsville in 2021

GRAPHIC WARNING: Rape and sexual violence remain areas of big concern for North Queensland, with Townsville police receiving 205 reported cases of rape and attempted rape offences in 2021 which contributed to 6.9 per cent of the state’s rape crime. What are the cases behind these stats? READ THE DETAILS

Education is the answer to tackling North Queensland’s terrifying sexual assault scourge, according to a leading social media campaigner.

In 2021, Townsville police received 615 reported sexual offences, 205 reported rape and attempted rape offences, and 369 reported other sexual offences.

Townsville made up 6.9 per cent of reported sexual offences in the state, 6.9 per cent of reported rape and attempted rape offences, and other sexual offences made up 6.2 per cent.

In 2017, Townsville police received 539 reported sexual offences, 174 reported rape and attempted rape offences, and 365 reported other sexual offences.

In 2020, the numbers were similar to those in 2021. In 2020 Townsville received 631 reported sexual offences, 216 rape and attempted rape offences, and 415 other sexual offences

The move to include consent education into the Australian Curriculum was unanimously agreed upon by State and Federal Ministers and will be taught in schools in 2023.

A social media campaign orchestrated by Chanel Contos’ 12 months ago to include consent education in the Australian curriculum, managed to attract 44,000 signatures and 6,700 testimonies of sexual assault.

Full Stop an organisation that supports people affected by sexual, domestic or family violence, believe every person deserves to be listened to and supported in their recovery.

Full Stop CEO, Hayley Foster, described it as a generational change that will equip young people with proper knowledge around sexual consent at each level of their education,” Ms Foster said.

“We know from our sexual violence helpline that teenagers are not only the highest risk group of experiencing sexual violence, but also perpetrating it.

What are the names and stories of the offenders behind these stats?

GRAPHIC WARNING

Zachary Trott

Trott, 25, harassed and intimidated women across North Queensland – he set up fake social media profiles, called from blocked numbers, threatened to kill himself and them, reported false crimes to police and arrived at their homes uninvited.

A jury found Trott guilty of rape, while he pleaded guilty to stalking three women and taking pictures of a naked woman, who he raped, while she was asleep.

Trott was given a head sentence of five years with 656 days already served. Trott will be eligible for parole after he has served 50 per cent of his sentence.

FULL STORY HERE >>> https://bit.ly/3LOdiLZ

59-year-old man

The man, 59, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was sentenced to a decade behind bars after a jury found him guilty of abusing his teenage stepdaughter over a number of years.

After a five day trial in Townsville in June, a jury took just two hours to convict him of 22 sex offences including maintaining an unlawful relationship with a child for more than three years and rape.

As he sentenced the man to 10 years imprisonment, a judge told him his actions had “the most catastrophic effects” and in a victim impact statement the woman said she was left suicidal, angry and “ultimately broken”.

FULL STORY HERE >>> https://bit.ly/3HdlHp6

21-year-old man

The Ingham-born man, who cannot be named to protect his victims, was sentenced in Townsville’s District Court to six counts of rape linked to two women who were known to him.

A jury found the 21-year-old guilty after trial and he was convicted of five counts of rape linked to the first woman.

The court was told the man ignored both women’s pleas to stop during sexual encounters with him.

He was sentenced to seven years, with a parole eligibility date in September 2024. The 33 days he had spent behind bars were considered time served.

Teen rapist

The now 18-year-old man avoided a conviction despite a jury finding him guilty of raping the 16-year-old virgin after making a bet with his friends that he could bed the girl for a carton of beer.

His victim was left distressed, unable to walk and covered in her own blood which was also on the sheets, mattress, bedside table and carpet, Crown Prosecutor Shannon Sutherland told the court.

The 18-year-old was sentenced to two years jail to be served by way of a three-month conditional release order for the anal rape and two years probation for the oral rape.

No conviction was recorded.

FULL STORY HERE >>> https://bit.ly/3JJ5Pfq

Campaign of terror

The man, who cannot be identified to protect the privacy of his victims, faced Townsville District Court and pleaded guilty to 11 domestic violence offences, including rape, ­contravening a DV order, ­burglary, suffocation and arson.

The premeditated campaign of terror began earlier that night in July last year when he attended a petrol station and bought a can of petrol.

The man then arrived at the woman’s home uninvited, ripped a door from its tracks and violently raped her.

The man was sentenced to seven years on the most serious rape charge and five years for the arson.

New Zealand National

The New Zealand national who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to three charges of rape and three charges of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16.

For two of the rape charges, Crown Prosecutor Andrew Walklate said the stepfather digitally penetrated the girl. In the most serious rape, he said the man inserted the tip of his penis into the girl’s vagina.

The man was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment with a parole eligibility date of Feb 2, 2024.

*For 24-hour sexual violence and domestic violence support call the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Originally published as Rape and reported rape numbers in Townsville in 2021