Fight for the Forgotten campaign editorial: Is rape not an ‘adult’ crime?

This is a Fight for the Forgotten.The survivors who have been forgotten by the justice system.Writes journalist Peta McEachern with the launch of the Fight for the forgotten campaign.

A leading peak body and advocacy group says it is increasingly likely a young woman’s first sexual experience could involve sexual assault or rape, if the state government does not step in to curb the rapidly rising crime.

This is a Fight for the Forgotten.

The survivors who have been forgotten by the justice system.

How could these victims - mostly women - not feel forgotten when 48.5 per cent of teenage boys found guilty of rape are not sentenced to detention orders.

And when teenage rapists are sentenced in Queensland, they receive a jail term of 2.6 years on average.

When the newly elected David Crisafulli Government pushed through legislation to keep juveniles locked up longer for committing ‘adult crimes’, a teenager was slapped on the wrist for raping a woman on the streets of Toowoomba.

The court heard the brave survivor stood up for herself, ran, and fought back, then she heard the words, “I have a knife”.

“If you don’t do as I say, I will kill you,” the 15-year-old rapist threatened.

She froze, confronted with the reality that she may never see her child again.

Within months the remorseless Darling Downs teenager - who had no conviction recorded and was determined to be a risk of re-offending - will be released back into the community on probation after serving an 18 month jail term.

A non-government peak body advocating for survivors and aiding overworked and underfunded frontline workers on the ground, said if nothing changes, we need to get used to the idea that a large number of Australia’s female population’s first romantic experience may be sexual assault.

Rape was not one of the 10 offences included in the Queensland LNPs ‘Adult Time, Adult Crime,’ campaign and subsequent making Queensland Safer Laws.
Recidivist car thieves are likely now to end up spending more time in juvenile detention than rapists with the new maximum penalty for stealing a car a 10 year jaill term, 14 years if it’s an aggravated offence.

Despite promising adult time for adult crime, Premier David Crisafulli has refused to say rape will be included in the second tranche of Making Queensland Safer Laws after it was missed in the first tranche in December 2024. Picture: Supplied

I’m not endorsing the changes to the Youth Crime Act or implying jail time addresses the bigger picture, but if you are going to tout “Adult Time, Adult Crime,” law reforms to put victims first and keep Queenslanders safe, include rape offences.

Why was protecting Queenslanders’ cars more of a priority than protecting women’s lives, safety, and bodies?

Premier Crisafulli has refused to guarantee that rape offences would be included in the next tranche of the Making Queensland Safer Laws, nor that it will be considered.

Yet hours after an Ipswich Coles worker was allegedly stabbed in the back by a teenager, Mr Crisafulli promised to include attempted murder after it was left off the party’s 2024 Christmas wish list to keep some serious young offenders locked for longer.

Well, it’s been 400 or so days now since a Darling Downs woman’s life changed forever when she was walking home in December 2023 and she’s still waiting on your promise Mr Crisafulli.
She’s not the only one.

The optimist in me hopes they are furiously looking into a way to strengthen rape laws to align with the expectations of survivors and Queenslanders.

The pessimist in me thinks, the largely ‘women’s issue,’ will remain on the backburner, especially when it’s competing against the prospect of tarnishing the ‘promising futures’ of young men.

Are you up for sharing your experience, knowledge, or would like to share something on or off the record? Email [e-mail]

Originally published as Fight for the Forgotten campaign editorial: Is rape not an ‘adult’ crime?