IBAC report finds sex pests remain a problem for Victoria Police force
Victoria’s anti-corruption body has found predatory sexual behaviour is rife within police ranks, with victims of crimes among those most at risk.
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Victoria’s peak anti-corruption body has found predatory sexual behaviour is still a problem within police ranks.
The review, conducted by the independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), assessed 27 Victoria Police internal investigations into alleged predatory behaviour between 2018 and 2022.
Its aim was to scrutinise the thoroughness of those investigations and whether appropriate sanctions were dealt.
But despite findings that Victoria Police handle most allegations of predatory behaviour well, with a “victim-centred” approach, IBAC has found evidence sex pests remain a problem for the force.
IBAC Deputy Commissioner Kylie Kilgour said predatory behaviour involved an officer misusing their position to begin, or attempt to begin, an emotional or sexual relationship with someone they meet in the course of their duties.
“It can also relate to the sexual assault, stalking, harassment or grooming of a person,” Ms Kilgour said.
“Despite efforts undertaken by Victoria Police over recent years, our review shows that predatory behaviour continues.
“We found women experiencing domestic or family violence were targets of predatory behaviour by police officers and more than half of all cases reviewed indicated a pattern of behaviour by the perpetrator against more than one person.”
Among IBAC’s key findings, four police officers whose behaviour was investigated were working with vulnerable people, including children in state care.
It also found police officers target more junior female colleagues.
Women experiencing family violence were also targeted..
Over half of cases involved a pattern of predatory behaviour.
Consensual relationships within Victoria Police can be considered predatory due to power imbalance or other circumstances.
Victoria Police, in 2014, set up Taskforce Salus, to investigate predatory behaviour within the force.
Police officers, to date, are not required to declare intimate relationships in the workplace.
More than half the cases reviewed indicated a level of tolerance for inappropriate behaviour or inaction by managers after an allegation is reported to them.
However, IBAC found most Victoria Police investigations into predatory behaviour made findings based on the evidence.
Sanctions for predatory behaviour were consistent with public expectations, IBAC found, but in some cases investigators were receiving “problematic” advice from the forces Discipline Advisory Unit.
A Victoria Police spokesman responded to the IBAC report, saying the findings demonstrated the force’s commitment to stamping out predatory behaviour.
“IBAC’s finding that the majority of investigations reviewed were of a high standard demonstrates the effectiveness of Victoria Police’s Sexual Offences and Family Violence Unit and the force’s commitment to eliminating predatory behaviour within its ranks,” the spokesman said.
“We know this type of behaviour, often involving patterns of offending, continues to be under-reported and are serious about changing any culture of protection among police.
“We believe responding to these matters swiftly, fairly and consistently will demonstrate that within the force and importantly give more victim-survivors the confidence to come forward.”
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton sent an all-staff message earlier this year warning misconduct, including sexual harassment, would not be tolerated.
In August last year, Victoria Police made a new rule that all staff must declare “conflicts of interest” resulting from a personal or intimate relationships, including relationships where the employees are in a direct reporting line.
It also bans employees from having any personal or intimate relationship with vulnerable people they have met through their work including victims of or witnesses to crime, family violence or other trauma.
Victoria Police says it has already begun implementing four of the five recommendations outlined in the IBAC report and has committed to working with IBAC to identify, investigate and prevent predatory behaviour perpetrated by police.
The recommendations include:
•Improvements to Victoria Police’s employee training, complaint investigation reporting and record keeping
•Improvements to the advice provided by Victoria Police’s Legal Discipline Advisory Unit
•Clearer guidance for employees on the declaration and management of intimate or personal workplace relationships
•Increased monitoring of the ethical health of police officers who are subject to predatory behaviour allegations
IBAC will monitor their implementation.
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