An inquiry into the NSW Police strip search practices was established in 2018 in response to a number of complaints and anecdotal information.
The final report, tabled to New South Wales parliament on Tuesday, included major reforms to the NSW Police strip search policy, on-going reviews of searches made on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and further training on traumatic effects.
It also recommended that Parliament consider amending the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 to provide an exhaustive definition of a strip search.
Data in the final report showed in each of the last four years, between 17-19.5 per cent of strip searches were of Aboriginal people.
That's despite making up around 3 per cent of the population.
Solicitor with Redfern Legal Centre, Samantha Lee, said legislative reform is needed to protect Aboriginal children.
"The report clearly sets out that strip searches are having a dramatic impact on the psychological health of young people," Ms Lee told NITV News.
"What we do know is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as young as 10 have been subjected to invasive and harmful strip searches, and that this practice needs to stop."
The Redfern Legal Centre is currently investigating potential class action proceedings for people who have been unlawfully strip searched by NSW Police in the last six years.
Read the full story here (NITV, 15 September 2020)
