New laws have come into effect that will strengthen legal protections for victims of sexual violence and ensure greater consistency in how the justice system treats survivors.
The Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Act 2025(external link) widens the scope of automatic name suppression for victims of sexual violence to include all offences of a sexual nature.
From now on, all complainants in sexual offence cases will have with their identity automatically suppressed unless a judge expressly rules otherwise.
This change acknowledges the importance of providing consistent privacy and protection for individuals who report sexual offending. It ensures that people involved in cases such as those concerning intimate visual recordings receive the same level of respect and safeguards as those in other sexual offending matters.
In addition, the law now requires that victims of sexual violence must consent to permanent name suppression for convicted offenders before a judge can grant it. This means that a court can no longer make an order for permanent name suppression of an offender without the victim’s agreement.
This reform strengthens victims’ voices in the justice process and ensures their views are the most important factor in decisions that directly affect them.
The new provisions apply to cases where an adult has been convicted of an offence under sections 128 to 142A or 144A of the Crimes Act 1961, or any other offence that the court determines is of a sexual nature.