Australian new body for addressing sexual offenses
Updated: 2013-07-23 14:28
(Xinhua)
|
||||||||
CANBERRA - The Australian Defense has adopted a "fundamental change" in the way it handles sexual misconduct, with a new body the Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Office (SeMPRO), to allow victims to report incidents confidentially.
It was announced by Minister for Defense Stephen Smith and Chief of the Defense Force General David Hurley on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, General David Hurley said the launch of the SeMPRO was considerably more than a new support mechanism for victims of sexual offenses.
According to him, from July 23 SeMPRO will offer 24/7 confidential support for victims of sexual assault. It will act as a central data point to analyze prevalence and identify specific trends or risk factors that enable officers to implement targeted prevention and education strategies across the defense.
Hurley said SeMPRO will be staffed by military personnel and public servants and will also coordinate responses and victim support and education.
"Unlike our previous approach, the victim - not the system - will now decide if and when to report a matter for investigation," he said.
"By introducing SeMPRO and restricted reporting or confidential disclosure, we are emphasizing our focus on caring for and supporting people who have experienced sexual misconduct," He said.
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Giving ancient Lhasa a facelift |
Families feel the pull of 'gravity' |
Party seeks to boost ties with the public |
Conundrum over sexual bribery |
Bar street heaven for expats, hell for locals |
Chinese Haute Couture |
Today's Top News
Germany to probe spy services' ties with US
Snowden hopes to leave airport by Wednesday
Quake in NW China kills 89, injures 700
US blacks, whites split on Zimmerman verdict: poll
Kissinger and Jiang see bright future for relations
China sees no major forex withdrawal: regulator
Business holds up for Minmetals arm
Beijing knife attack leaves one dead
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |