I am a 24 year old male. I don’t want my workmates to know I was raped. If I report a sexual assault will this incident become public information?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Jo Wilson, Macleod 3085 Vic
- Yes and no. It will go on the internal police and prosecuting authority database and the court’s database if it proceeds to court. However there are strict rules governing who can access this information.
- Further there are laws that prohibit the media from naming or doing anything else which might identify the victim of a sexual assault case.
- In most jurisdictions a victim of a sexual assault can ask for the court to be closed to the public while they are giving their evidence. The prosecutor will make this application on behalf of the victim.