Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Crimes Act 1958 - SECT 37B

Guiding principles

37B. Guiding principles

It is the intention of Parliament that in interpreting and applying
Subdivisions (8A) to (8G), courts are to have regard to the fact that-

   (a)  there is a high incidence of sexual violence within society; and

   (b)  sexual offences are significantly under-reported; and

   (c)  a significant number of sexual offences are committed against women,
        children and other vulnerable persons including persons with a
        cognitive impairment; and

   (d)  sexual offenders are commonly known to their victims; and

   (e)  sexual offences often occur in circumstances where there is unlikely
        to be any physical signs of an offence having occurred.

(8A) Rape and indecent assault 2