Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, Legal Information


Reporting The Rape You may decide that you want the police to take action about the sexual assault. The decision whether or not to report your rape to the police must be your decision. Rape Crisis workers will support you with whatever decision you make. The ACT has a specialised police unit called the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT). Its purpose is to investigate sexual assaults and provide victim support to those people in the ACT, regardless of age or gender, who become victims of such crimes. The SACAT is part of the Australian Federal Police. SACAT members are specially trained police investigators, the majority of whom are women. The Police officers are not uniformed Rape Crisis workers can accompany women to SACAT, and offer court preparation, court support and on-going counselling throughout this process. Informal Reporting You may choose to informally report the matter to the police, even if you do not want to proceed at that time, or at any other time. Informally reporting the matter to the police does not prevent you from making a formal statement at later date. If you do decide to formally make a complaint, the following is a summary of the steps that will be involved. To Previous Page Page Last Updated 31/5/2001 © 2001 Canberra Rape Crisis Centre Best viewed in Microsoft Explorer 4 or Netscape 4

Reporting The Rape

You may decide that you want the police to take action about the sexual assault. The decision whether or not to report your rape to the police must be your decision. Rape Crisis workers will support you with whatever decision you make.

The ACT has a specialised police unit called the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT). Its purpose is to investigate sexual assaults and provide victim support to those people in the ACT, regardless of age or gender, who become victims of such crimes.

The SACAT is part of the Australian Federal Police. SACAT members are specially trained police investigators, the majority of whom are women. The Police officers are not uniformed Rape Crisis workers can accompany women to SACAT, and offer court preparation, court support and on-going counselling throughout this process.

Informal Reporting

You may choose to informally report the matter to the police, even if you do not want to proceed at that time, or at any other time. Informally reporting the matter to the police does not prevent you from making a formal statement at later date. If you do decide to formally make a complaint, the following is a summary of the steps that will be involved.

To Previous Page

Page Last Updated 31/5/2001
© 2001 Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
Best viewed in Microsoft Explorer 4 or Netscape 4