Major victory’ for pedophiles as baffling law is passed that could see rape and sexual assault victims thrown in PRISON just for telling their stories
Sexual assault survivors in Victoria, Australia, will face jail time of up to 4 months or fines of more than $3000 for telling their stories using their true names.
Amendments to the Judicial Proceedings Reports Act were quietly implemented earlier this year, forbidding victims to identify themselves publicly if their attacker has been found guilty.
Victoria’s new ‘gag law’ will be in effect regardless of the victim’s consent, and is irrespective of when the crime occurred, which means that victims who have lawfully talked about their case previously are now censored.
Sexual assault survivors could be fined thousands and even jailed under new gag law in Victoria — and it's a 'victory for paedophiles'.https://t.co/yCdWewdEeX
— nzherald (@nzherald) August 26, 2020
Media organizations could also face prosecution or fines of up to $8000 if they breach the law.
The new changes, which have been described as a ‘major victory’ for rapists and pedophiles, will negatively affect many survivors who can no longer speak out.
The one way a victim could regain their right to speak is to receive a court order, which is a lengthy process and could cost them more than $10,000.
‘There is no way that I would just have ten thousand dollars sitting around to pay to do this. (I’d) be taking money away from (my) family,’ Maggie*, a survivor of child rape told news.com.au.
Victims of sexual crimes are now fighting for their right to bring their stories to light, with a #LetUsSpeak campaign that started on Wednesday calling on the government to change the law.
Victoria has introduced a law described as a major victory for paedophiles and rapists, which will also see sexual assault survivors having to hide their own faces. Join the #LetUsSpeak movement to call on the government to reform the gag law. https://t.co/bvfLF9xPic
— Herald Sun (@theheraldsun) August 26, 2020
44-year-old Maggie* from Melbourne tried to commit suicide when she was 12, four years after her father started raping her in her bed.
Five years later he was arrested after Maggie’s step-sister Kate* told officers he had been sexually abusing her since she was 9 years of age.
The father was eventually charged with rape and gross indecency as well as various counts of bestiality for forcing Kate* to take part in sadistic sexual acts with the family dog.
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