Informal Reporting 

Some states offer anonymous alternatives to formal reporting. These options are written interview protocols that can be submitted directly to police, without initiating an investigation.

The purpose of reporting alternatives are to:

• Allow victims to document their experiences without the intimidation associated with formal reporting
• Give options for those who do not have a station nearby, or those who are unable to escape their perpetrator long enough to make a report
• Provide police with data on sexual offences, perpetrators and the criminal landscape of specific areas

Anonymous reporting was primarily used for data collection, but police are increasingly using it to reduce barriers to reporting. Platforms still let victims stay anonymous while sharing reports for intelligence purposes, but now they connect victims to support services, or allow for consent to contact if another report names the same perpetrator. Since sexual violence remains one of the most underreported crimes, these options give victims the choice to come forward weeks, years, or even decades on later using details from their original anonymous report.

The NSW Sexual Assault Reporting Option (SARO) is an online form, which can also be downloaded and emailed to police. You can submit an anonymous entry or leave contact details. The form consists of short and long answer questions, as well as checkbox questions relating to what type of force was used. It asks victims to describe themselves to help identify patterns among repeat offenders, and includes a detailed section on the offender – covering details like age, address, eye colour, teeth, and approximate weight. The NSW SARO can be accessed here.

In Queensland, the Assault Reporting Option (ARO) can be accessed here. It is similar to the NSW SARO, and can be completed online or mailed to the Brisbane Sex Crime Unit.

The ACT allows sexual assaults that occurred more than 6 months ago to be reported online here, but to use the Reporting Historic Sexual Assault online form, it is mandatory to input your name and contact details. The form primarily uses open textboxes to ask details about the sexual assault and when it occurred, and whether the victim told anyone or previously contacted authorities. It does not have specific questions about the offender.

Launched in 2023, Western Australia’s Safe2Say platform allows for the reporting of a range of sexual offences anonymously. People can report their own experiences or information about other victims (with a bystander or witness report), and these are forwarded to specialist investigators. Questions are mostly open textbox, asking the victim to describe the offence and the offender. Unlike the other reporting forms, it also asks whether the person knows any other victims of the same offender, and what outcome they would like from making the alternative report. It can be accessed here. 

Remember, while not all states have an alternative reporting option, all police stations in all states allow you to give a record of your assault without completing a statement.

Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is about bringing together the people impacted by a crime in ways that are meaningful to the victim. It hinges on three mechanisms for addressing harm: the ability to speak to an experience (this is about narrative and voice); to bear witness to this narrative (this is about validation and accountability); and to reflect on the future (which is a pragmatic plan addressing the immediate and longer-term impacts). Each of these core elements offers a counterpoint to the loss of power inherent in sexual assault (Deakin-Greenwood & Bolitho, 2019), and indeed in the criminal justice system.

Restorative practices fit closely with traditional peace-making in response to harm in many cultures. In cases of sexual violence, while there is good reason to be cautious about how it is practiced, restorative justice can improve the access to and experience of justice for victims within carefully delineated parameters and adherence to best practice (Bolitho & Freeman, 2016). Restorative justice is entirely survivor-oriented, centred on the needs of and guided by the person harmed.

Transforming Justice Australia is a national restorative justice practice, whose specialist team is committed to creating choices for victims to address the harm done to them. This might be a facilitated meeting between the people involved in a sexual assault, the exchanging of questions and information, or referrals to support. It might occur alongside or after other justice processes, or on its own. All persons are invited into the process by the victim, and participation is voluntary. Importantly, assessing the eligibility or suitability of the persons who might be involved is a lengthy process, with respect to whether they pose a risk to the victim, and whether they require specialised expertise to manage (e.g. with regards to perpetrator tactics). The team has expertise working with people who have experienced complex trauma, as well as First Nations communities, young people, the LGBTQIA+ community and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Their approach recognises the impact on family, friends and partners and validates the important role these people can play in keeping those harmed and responsible, safe and supported.

If this sounds like something you or someone you know could benefit from, contact fill out their referral form.