Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Evidence Act 1958 - SECT 32AB

Guiding principles

32AB. Guiding principles

It is the intention of Parliament that in interpreting and applying Divisions
3 and 3AA and this Division in any legal proceeding that relates (wholly or
partly) to a charge for a sexual offence, 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)  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.