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Victorian Labor Plans New Family Violence Offences and Tougher Sexual Assault Penalties
Labor would create new offences for abandoning victims in medical need and for family violence-related deaths, while doubling some intervention order penalties.
- Victorian Premier Ben Carroll announced a major overhaul of family and sexual violence laws on Sunday, pledging life sentences for rape and increased murder sentences for partners if Labor wins the November election.
- The commitment follows 42 family violence-related homicides recorded in the 12 months to March, including the deaths of Narelle Simmons and Belinda Jones, who were abandoned by partners while in urgent medical need.
- Labor's plan introduces a "slow femicide" manslaughter charge for perpetrators whose violence leads to suicide, while doubling penalties for persistent intervention order breaches to 10 years and banning "humiliating and invasive questioning techniques" in court.
- Safe and Equal chief executive Dr Joumanah El-Matrah welcomed the reforms, stating victim-survivors deserve a legal system recognizing the full extent of their harm, though experts question the practical impact on sentencing lengths.
- These broad-reaching reforms emerge ahead of the November election, contrasting with earlier government rejections of similar proposals and responding to community distress over sexual maltreatment headlines and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's recent rhetoric.
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Sydney Morning HeraldReposted by 
The Age
The AgeLife sentences for rape, new charge for ‘slow femicide’ in Labor domestic violence pledge
Family violence perpetrators whose abuse is found to have triggered a partner’s suicide, and those who abandon a victim in urgent medical need, will be eligible for new charges and sentences for all sexual offences will increase significantly if the Carroll government is re-elected.
·North Sydney, Australia
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Total News Sources6
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 33%
R 17%
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