AUSTRALIA
The Australian
MICHAEL WALSH THE AUSTRALIAN JUNE 26, 2014
SEXUAL assault reports hit a four-year high last year, with victim support groups attributing the rise to awareness created by the royal commission into child sexual abuse.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today reveals almost 20,000 sexual assaults were reported to police in 2013, an increase of 8 per cent on the previous year.
While all states and territories recorded an increase, the largest change was seen in Tasmania where the number of reports rose by 48 per cent. This was followed by New South Wales with an 11 per cent increase.
NSW Rape Crisis Centre executive officer Karen Willis said it was encouraging that more victims were coming forward.
“This is great news, because what we know is that only 17 per cent of people who experience sexual assault report it to police. We know it’s really difficult for victims to come forward,” she said.
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