Sexual offences reported to police in Hobsons Bay almost doubled in a year, mainly because victims are more confident in coming forward.
Data from the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) for the 12 months to the end of March show that reported sexual offences rose from 85 to 167 in Hobsons Bay and from 115 to 129 in Maribyrnong. The rise bucks an overall 1.6 per cent fall in crime in Hobsons Bay and an 8 per cent drop in Maribyrnong.
Jane Vanderstoel, chief executive of Footscray-based Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault (WestCASA), said there had been a 25 per cent rise in clients across the west in the past four years, but there was never a straight translation between reports to police and the number of victims seeking counselling.
She said the higher number of reports could be linked to more media attention on sexual assaults, such as last October’s attempted rape at Altona’s Cherry Lake and 13 indecent assaults by the same man at Newport and Altona North between April and August last year. Ms Vanderstoel said she believed the royal commission on institutional childhood sexual abuse had also encouraged people to come forward.
“I think people are feeling more confident they can report and will be believed and heard,” she said.
“I think there’s a much clearer message that this stuff isn’t OK.”
Survivor and counsellor Mairead Ashcroft said she had started a support group in Altona because of a recognised need in the area.
“I wondered if sexual assault was on the rise or is the reporting of sexual assaults treated with much more importance,” she said.
“In the past, a woman being sexual assaulted would be judged by her clothing: had she or had she not been drinking, was she behaving in a ‘sluttish’ manner, was she out after dark or was she somehow ‘asking for it’?
“My hope is that victims, men and women, continue to speak up and can feel supported by their community so we can see these numbers reduce.”
Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1800 806 292
with Ben Millar
