NSW pledges more money for child abuse support services to reduce trauma of court

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The state government has announced $64.3 million over four years to help victim-survivors of child sex abuse as they navigate the justice system.

The money will see the permanent expansion of the Child Sexual Offences Evidence Program (CSOEP) to every district court and police district in the state from 1 July.

The program allows young people to pre-record evidence and pair them with intermediary support people during police interviews and hearings. It also actively prevents the victim-survivors from having to confront accused perpetrators in court.

NSW attorney-general Mark Speakman said the investment would strengthen the criminal justice response to child sexual abuse.

“Re-traumatising a complainant does not advance justice,” Speakman said.

“We need to do all we can to ensure that children and young people who have been sexually abused are supported through the court experience, so they can begin the process of rebuilding their lives.”

A pilot of the program kicked off in 2016 for two court locations in the Sydney (Downing Centre) District Court and Newcastle District Court. Trials were also active in the corresponding South-West Metropolitan, Central Metropolitan, and parts of the Northern Police districts.

One year later, the landmark final report by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was published, including recommendations that court processes utilise pre-recorded witness evidence and make use of intermediaries in child sexual offence prosecutions. These features were consistent with the pilot.

Then, in 2018, another state government injection of more than $28 million to establish the CSOEP as a permanent fixture in its initial locations.

An independent assessment of the program conducted by UNSW Sydney found CSOEP reduced stress for children and resulted in a better quality of evidence from child witnesses. The program also had strong endorsement from participants.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the program was designed to ensure victim survivors did not have to suffer further by being re-traumatised in a “justice system designed for adults”.

“Our government led the nation when we piloted this program and now we want to make sure that every child — no matter where they live in our state — can access this support,” Perrottet said.

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