White Ribbon acting CEO Delia Donovan says one in four young people think its pretty normal for guys to pressure girls into sex – and that, she says, is not okay. Ms Donovan believes prevention is the key to ending all forms of violence against women. She supports the NSW Governments new campaign #makenodoubt to prevent sexual assaults. The NSW government expects the campaign to spark a conversation about consent and encourage people to #makenodoubt before engaging in a sexual activity. Read also: This is the Christmas message from Catholic Diocese of Bathurst The NSW government campaign comes at a time when the Bathurst, Orange and Mid-Western local government areas recorded their highest number of cases of sexual assault in the past five years. Bathurst, Orange and Mid-Western Region (Mudgee) had 51, 35 and 35 cases respectively between June 2017 and July 2018, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Dubbo, another big city in the Central West, recorded 80 sexual assault cases during the same period. Dubbos highest number of cases (85) was between June 2015 and July 2016. Read also: Council meeting wrap: Toilets likely to be canned after DA approval reversed Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Pru Goward, said the campaign supports the NSW Governments Sexual Assault Strategy to hold perpetrators to account. “The #makenodoubt campaign is a positive way to raise awareness about the importance of seeking consent before having sex,” Ms Goward said. “Whether it is failure to seek consent, refusal to recognise when someone cannot give consent or ignoring that refusal, consent is at the heart of the continuum of sexual offending.” Ms Donovan says the NSW Government #makenodoubt campaign is a great initiative to get communities and individuals talking about how to ask for and give consent before engaging in sexual activity. “Standing up, speaking out and acting can end violence against women and having open dialogue about consent will go a long way in reducing the number of sexual assault incidences. “We need schools, communities and workplaces to understand what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual assault and we need to eliminate any perceived grey area.” Read also: Does your stock have enough water to get through the heatwave? Central West Police District crime manager Detective Inspector Bruce Grassick said the crime statistics always fluctuate. “We also get a number of historical sexual assault matters from people who are now adults, but were children when the offences occurred,” Detective Inspector Grassick said. “When they report the matter to us, it still gets recorded as a sexual assault on an adult. “We are seeing an increase in such cases and it is an ongoing trend in relation of reporting of sexual assault.” Detective Inspector Grassick said he was not in a position to comment on whether the new campaign can contribute to the prevention of sexual assault cases. “Each case is taken on its own individual circumstances,” he said. The NSW Government said the NSW Law Reform Commission is reviewing the NSW Crimes Amendment (Consent – sexual assault offences) to determine if the law needs to be amended to better protect victims. The NSW Government says it is investing more than $200 million over four years to respond to victims and survivors of sexual assault.
White Ribbon acting CEO Delia Donovan says one in four young people think its pretty normal for guys to pressure girls into sex – and that, she says, is not okay.
Ms Donovan believes prevention is the key to ending all forms of violence against women.
She supports the NSW Governments new campaign #makenodoubt to prevent sexual assaults.
The NSW government expects the campaign to spark a conversation about consent and encourage people to #makenodoubt before engaging in a sexual activity.
Read also:
The NSW government campaign comes at a time when the Bathurst, Orange and Mid-Western local government areas recorded their highest number of cases of sexual assault in the past five years.
Bathurst, Orange and Mid-Western Region (Mudgee) had 51, 35 and 35 cases respectively between June 2017 and July 2018, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
Dubbo, another big city in the Central West, recorded 80 sexual assault cases during the same period.
Dubbos highest number of cases (85) was between June 2015 and July 2016.
Read also:
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Pru Goward, said the campaign supports the NSW Governments Sexual Assault Strategy to hold perpetrators to account.
“The #makenodoubt campaign is a positive way to raise awareness about the importance of seeking consent before having sex,” Ms Goward said.
“Whether it is failure to seek consent, refusal to recognise when someone cannot give consent or ignoring that refusal, consent is at the heart of the continuum of sexual offending.”
Ms Donovan says the NSW Government #makenodoubt campaign is a great initiative to get communities and individuals talking about how to ask for and give consent before engaging in sexual activity.
“Standing up, speaking out and acting can end violence against women and having open dialogue about consent will go a long way in reducing the number of sexual assault incidences.
“We need schools, communities and workplaces to understand what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual assault and we need to eliminate any perceived grey area.”
Read also:
Central West Police District crime manager Detective Inspector Bruce Grassick said the crime statistics always fluctuate.
“We also get a number of historical sexual assault matters from people who are now adults, but were children when the offences occurred,” Detective Inspector Grassick said.
“When they report the matter to us, it still gets recorded as a sexual assault on an adult.
“We are seeing an increase in such cases and it is an ongoing trend in relation of reporting of sexual assault.”
Detective Inspector Grassick said he was not in a position to comment on whether the new campaign can contribute to the prevention of sexual assault cases.
“Each case is taken on its own individual circumstances,” he said.
The NSW Government said the NSW Law Reform Commission is reviewing the NSW Crimes Amendment (Consent – sexual assault offences) to determine if the law needs to be amended to better protect victims.
The NSW Government says it is investing more than $200 million over four years to respond to victims and survivors of sexual assault.
This story Is your partner ready? Thats the question the NSW Government wants you to ask first appeared on Western Advocate.
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