Train stations are considered by many commuters to be unsafe. Recently Victoria Police has increased monitoring and management of passenger safety but many commuters still fall victim to crimes against the person whilst using Melbourne’s public transport system. In 2008-09 there were more than 7000 criminal offences reported on Melbourne’s train system. In 2009 there…
DetailsExposing children to, or involving children in, incidences of domestic violence is being increasingly recognised as a form of child abuse throughout Australia. These children are often referred to as the ‘silent’ or ‘invisible’ victims. Witnessing domestic violence can have a vast range of psychological or behavioural effects on children. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, moodiness,…
DetailsSexting trends have surged recently in young people throughout Australia. Police and schools across the state are now having to deal with this issue regularly. There would hardly be a school in the state which has not had to respond to at least one incident of teens sending or possessing naked pictures of a girlfriend,…
DetailsChild sex abuse is an issue of serious concern in Australian Society with around 12 % of women and 4.5 % of men reporting incidences of sexual abuse prior to the age of 15 years. In 2008–09 there was 5,591 child abuse notifications for sexual abuse of children aged 17 years or less. However, the…
DetailsThe cost of alcohol’s harm to others is estimated to be around $14 billion annually in Australia. The increased prevalence of assaults on Friday and Saturday nights is an alarming trend throughout Victorian. On Friday and Saturday nights offenders arrested for assault make up more than 20% of all detained offenders with males aged between…
DetailsDespite the fact that the offence of sexual penetration of a child between the ages of 10 and 16 carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, sentences are consistently lenient offering very little restitution for victims. Imprisonment accounted for only 41% of offenders found guilty of sexual penetration of a child between the ages of…
DetailsStalking by adolescent usually occurs as a result of incidences of bullying as opposed to talking by adults which occurs largely due to rejection. The majority of stalking offenders are males who have had some form of prior relationship to the victim. Relationships can include former school peers, relatives and former partners with around 70%…
DetailsThe internet is an increasingly risky place for young males to spend time. It allows perverted persons to gain anonymous and often low-risk access to child victims for sexual exploitation. Online chat rooms, gaming sites and file transfer systems provide the tools for offenders to sexually abuse and exploit young males. Whilst young girls are…
DetailsCarrying a knife and using it, particularly amongst youth is an escalating problem within Australia. Police have emphasised this as an issue in need of attention and have recently cracked down on knife possession with a number of public searches and seizures, including at train stations. A survey showed that 57% of youths on the…
DetailsIn recent years the maximum penalty in Victoria for sexual penetration of a child under the age of 10 years has been increased from 20 to 25 years. This change has brought the offence in line with the statutory offence of rape. Extraordinarily, though,, once a child is age between 10 to 16 years, the…
DetailsOver the past ten years the incidence of armed robbery at Service Stations has steadily increased in Australia. In 2009 around 10% of all armed robberies were of service stations. Services Stations are more likely to be targeted at night by one offender with an average age of twenty-three-years and using a knife. Extended trading…
DetailsOver 130,000 international students began studies in Victoria between 2005 and 2009, of which 44% came from India and 38% from China, with most students aged between 20 and 35 years and over 60% being male. The rate of physical assault for all students was similar to the average for similarly aged others except for…
DetailsIf you have been the victim of crime while driving, such as Dangerous Driving, you may be entitled to make both a Crimes Compensation application as well as a Transport Accident Commission (TAC) claim. To further discuss your compensation call Victims of Crime Counselling and Compensation Services on Freecall 1800 000 055.
If you have been the victim of crime in the workplace, such as robbery at a post office, petrol station, restaurant, hotel, tabaret or bank, or while performing your work duties, such as a police officer, taxi-driver or security officer, you may be entitled to make both a Crimes Compensation application as well as a…
DetailsAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) powerfully effect who we become as adults and what becomes of us as adults. 28% of ACEs are in the form of physical abuse, 22% sexual abuse and 11% emotional abuse with the remainder consisting of neglect and other forms of abuse. Health risks associated with ACEs include smoking, severe obesity,…
Details226 people were sentenced for rape between 2003/04 and 2007/08.
81% of offenders received a period of imprisonment.
Offenders aged over forty years were more likely to be imprisoned.
Average period of incarceration for all offences was around 5 years and ranged from 2 to 26 years.
Statistics provided by the Sentencing Advisory Council.
Considerable evidence exists confirming that many clients seeking mental health services in Australia have trauma histories which significantly affect their health and well-being. Jenna Bateman, CEO, The Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) has long advocated for a mental health approach that moves away from searching for a diagnosis to a recognition of the impact of a…
DetailsMuch past research has linked health risks such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A recent research of young females found that the higher the number of PTSD symptoms related to the increased likelihood of consuming fast foods and soft drinks together with unhealthy dieting strategies, such as vomiting.…
DetailsA new training scheme is being introduced for teachers to help them identify and assist children with mental health issues, such as those related to trauma. I agree with Pamela Snow, Associate Professor at Monash University, that children who display challenging and inexplicable behaviour may have been exposed to some kind of trauma in their…
Details