The objective of this study for the Office of the Status of Women was to describe and analyse factors influencing prosecutorial decisions to proceed with, discontinue or enter into charge negotiations in cases referred to state and territory public prosecutions offices. Denise Lievore's findings suggest that existing policies and guidelines provide a reasonable safeguard against...

Denise Lievore presents a thematic analysis of interviews with Crown Prosecutors from five Australian jurisdictions. The interviews shed light on the practical factors that are taken into account in decisions to proceed with or discontinue sexual assault cases, as well as prosecutors' views of what constitutes victim credibility.

Family violence and sexual assault are reported to be at crisis levels in many Indigenous communities. In response to calls from Indigenous people for change, a number of state and territory governments have established Task Forces, drafted policy documents, and held inquiries into the nature and extent of the violence. In this Briefing Paper Monique...

Alexandra Neame looks at current media representations of drink spiking including victim-blaming stereotypes and whether drink spiking is an epidemic or an urban myth. Drink spiking is considered within the broader context of drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault, and awareness and prevention approaches that treat drugs and alcohol as weapons are discussed.

The focus of this paper is on the legislative and political background to the Crimes Amendment (Aggravated Sexual Assault in Company) Bill 2001. It looks first at the present legal position and the historical background to the relevant provisions in the Crimes Act. The decision in Regina v AEM (jnr) & AEM (snr) & KEM...