The legal centre was responding to NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller’s March 8 comment on ABC Radio National about the case of an alleged rape of a woman who has since died would “probably” not have made it to court, even if the alleged victim was still alive.
RLC Police Accountability solicitor Samantha Lee said on March 9: “Redfern Legal Centre often advises women who have reported an alleged sexual assault to NSW Police in situations where police have decided not to investigate. These women are often upset and frustrated because they are not informed about how police came to the decision to not take their matter any further.”
Redfern Legal Centre believes there needs to be greater transparency to inform the public about the steps NSW Police should take to gather evidence, especially at the initial reporting stage. This is to ensure there is sufficient evidence to seek the Department of Public Prosecutions’ advice.
“To ensure a safe and dignified pathway for women and men to report such allegations, it is critical for NSW Police to provide the public with a clear understanding about the internal procedures and process that NSW Police follow to determine whether to commence investigations into an alleged sexual assault.
“Greater transparency of policing practices can go a long way to improving trust in policing, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Lee concluded.
Read full the article (Green Left Weekly, 9 March 2021)
