SUBMISSION Review of sexual consent laws in South Australia: Attorney-General’s Department (SA)
This submission outlines key recommendations to support a review of sexual consent laws in South Australia. ANROWS supports the introduction of an affirmative consent model in South Australia. ANROWS also emphasises that legislative reform should be complemented through investment in consent education and training.
ANROWS provided a submission to the review of sexual consent laws in South Australia (SA) conducted by the Attorney-General’s Department of the Government of SA. The submission drew on our evidence base to highlight the need to:
- introduce an affirmative consent model as a core component of legislation for sexual offences
- expand the list of circumstances in which a person does not consent to include circumstances of coercive control and domestic and family violence
- expand jury directions in sexual offence cases to address misconceptions about reporting
- invest in affirmative consent education and training programs aimed at young people, people working in relevant support services and the justice sector, as well as the broader community.
The submission will be of interest to policymakers, practitioners and researchers interested in legal and justice responses to sexual offences, as well as those working to improve community attitudes and understandings of consent through legislative and non-legislative mechanisms. While the submission is tailored to South Australia, the majority of the evidence is applicable across jurisdictions.
Suggested citation
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. (2024). Re: Review of sexual consent laws in South Australia [Submission]. ANROWS.