One Woman Project takes action on the Queensland Government’s proposed changes to rape and sexual assault laws

The One Woman Project is advocating alongside the Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy Initiative (RASARA), Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ), Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivors Support Centre (BRISSC) and others to demand progressive and substantial reform to Queensland’s rape and sexual assault laws, following the Queensland Government’s proposed changes to the Criminal Code.

The five proposed amendments, drafted by the Queensland Law Reform Commission, go against recommendations from researchers, survivors and advocates to implement a standard of affirmative consent, and disregard significant evidence in favour of a UK-based study, which has not been published nor peer-reviewed.

“The amendments will make no positive difference to the current law and will actually prevent sexual assault survivors from receiving justice,” said One Woman Project’s National Director, Madeline Price.

“Consent should be straightforward and sexual assault survivors should be believed. Without this much-needed law reform, the Queensland Government is telling us that neither of these can exist in our state.”

The One Woman Project will be conducting a series of free events in partnership with BRISSC to drive progressive and substantial rape reform laws in Queensland. As an educational organisation, these events will be centred around spreading awareness of the proposed amendments, and where candidates for the upcoming State Election stand on the matter.

All events will be hosted online to support a COVID-safe learning environment, and free of charge to allow as many participants as possible. The One Woman Project will also be sharing information and resources via their blog and social media accounts.

RASARA and WLSQ have recommended the following amendments to the proposed Criminal Code (Consent and Mistake of Fact) Amendment Bill 2020:

5 Amendment of § 348 (meaning of consent) 

o   (3) A person does not consent to an act if the person does not say or do anything to communicate consent to the act.  

6 Insertion of new § 348A 

o   (2) A mistaken belief by the person as to the existence of consent is not honest or reasonable if the person did not take positive and reasonable steps, by words or conduct, in the circumstances known to the person at the time of the act, to ascertain that the other person was giving consent to the act.  

WLSQ estimates that there are approximately 46,000 instances of sexual assault each year in Queensland, with only 308 perpetrators convicted in 2018.

Further information on the proposed amendments and a full breakdown of the case law can be found at the RASARA website here.

ENDS

About One Woman Project

Established in 2013, the One Woman Project is one of Australia's fastest growing, youth-led, nonprofit organisations. We are dedicated to providing quality education about global gender equality through our educational seminar series, engagement events, in-school programs, public awareness campaigns, Rural Roadtrips and annual festivals. We are passionate about the impact that young people can make in their local, national and international communities.