New study for Sexual Assault Support Service reveals scale of sexual violence in Tasmania
Sexual assault is most commonly perpetrated within families and intimate partnerships in southern Tasmania according to the latest from a new study. See the findings.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sexual violence is most common within families and intimate relationships in southern Tasmania and there is a pervasive misunderstanding of consent across communities, a detailed new study has found.
The University of Tasmania’s Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES) prepared the report for the Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS), which provides counselling for victim-survivors of sexual violence in the south of the state.
The service experienced a massive 113 per cent increase in referrals in the five years to 2020-21 and a 47 per cent spike over 2020-21 alone.
“When you have such a high increase so quickly, it’s resourcing to be able to meet that demand that’s difficult,” SASS CEO Jill Maxwell said.
“And while government has been great at listening and providing us with extra funding, even the last financial year that’s just finished and now this one, we’ve just started to collate some numbers [and referrals are] probably even higher again. So it’s an ongoing issue for us.”
The TILES report conducted interviews in Sandy Bay/South Hobart, Huonville, and Clarence Plains/Rokeby, targeting a range of social demographics and diverse communities.
It found there were service gaps in certain areas that needed to be addressed, particularly in Clarence Plains/Rokeby and Huonville, and that common “sites” of sexual violence were families, intimate partnerships and “sexual cultures” among young people.
“We need to just roll up our sleeves and get on with this because [sexual violence] is a pervasive issue within our community,” Ms Maxwell said.
One anonymous community member from the Clarence Plains/Rokeby area, interviewed for the study, said it wasn’t “frowned upon” in their community for “a 15- or 16-year-old to date someone in his mid-20s and be impregnated by him”.
“I mean, two of my siblings are the children of what I would deem paedophilia … I have siblings literally born of paedophilia … and it was completely normalised,” they said.
“I didn’t realise it was weird until I grew up … it is horrific, and it is everywhere.”
The report, which was made possible due to a donation from the Elsie Cameron Foundation, will be handed to the state government.
It makes a number of recommendations, including that SASS consider developing new training and community education programs, as well as strategies to deliver outreach to regional areas and establish local embedded services.
It’s also been recommended that SASS come up with a plan for improved online support services and devise greater support mechanisms for LGBTQIA+ people, Aboriginal Tasmanians, people with disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse people.
If you or anyone you know needs help:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Sexual Assault Support Service: 1800 697 877
Rural Alive and Well: 1300 4357 6283
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
More Coverage
Originally published as New study for Sexual Assault Support Service reveals scale of sexual violence in Tasmania
Party in the Paddock announces huge line-up
As scores of other music festivals across the state pull the plug, Tasmania’s largest music and camping festival, Party in the Paddock, is returning in 2025 with a bang.
Liberals move quickly to elect new deputy Premier
There was only one candidate to replace the under-fire Michael Ferguson after he resigned from his portfolios. Here’s Tasmania’s new deputy Premier.