Inquiry Reveals Horsham's Sexual Violence Reporting Failures

19/09/2024

A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into capturing data on family violence perpetrators, held in early August at Geelong’s Eastern Hub, has revealed gaps in sexual violence reporting in Horsham.

The revelation comes as a 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped at a bachelor and spinsters ball, held in Horsham over the weekend.

 “We notice significant high rates of family violence and sexual assault, but we are not always seeing the throughput," Bec Wilkin, Acting Executive Manager of Client Services for The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre said. 

 "When people are sexually assaulted, there is a service that is provided if they report it to police within 72 hours."

 "That forensic response is actually not occurring that often," she said.

According to the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA), the rate of sexual offences in Horsham significantly exceeds the Victorian average, with 69 recorded incidents in the year ending March 2024.

 Ms Wilkin emphasised these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.

 “We know there must be a lot of people who are not accessing the service"

According to 2022 ABS data, 92 per cent of women who experienced sexual assault by a male did not report the most recent incident to police.

In a post-hearing interview, The Honourable Ella George, inquiry committee chair, said that "witnesses have noted that sexual violence is a common but often overlooked part of family violence."

 Ms George said that witnesses had identified accessibility as a potential barrier to reporting.

 "If you are, say, working on a farm, how do you make an excuse to leave safely and go to speak to someone at a local healthcare centre? It is just not as accessible," Ms Wilkin said.  

 “It is a bit of a catch-22 in that we want to be located in an accessible area but also people then know who you are.”

 Victoria Police declined to comment on the matter.  

Following public hearings, the committee will table its final report in the Victorian Parliament in early 2025.