The Queensland Government has today confirmed funding for the Queensland Sexual Assault Network (QSAN) to establish a Sexual Violence peak body.
The decision to fund the peak body formation – a recommendation of the Women’s Safety Justice Taskforce – and its ongoing operations comes at the start of Sexual Violence Awareness month.
The new peak body will be stood up in the first half of 2026 and once established will represent the sector across the State, said Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Amanda Camm.
“The Crisafulli Government is delivering a peak body to help restore safety for victims of sexual assault and hold perpetrators to account,” said Ms Camm.
“We will work closely with QSAN to establish a peak body that can both advocate for the sector and deliver the support needed for victim-survivors.
“I look forward to collaborating with the sector through these peak organisations and the First Nations Primary Prevention Group to get better outcomes for victims of DFV and sexual violence, while holding perpetrators to account.”
In Queensland last year, Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals:
- 85% of sexual assault victims are female.
- 42% of all sexual assaults occurred within a domestic and family violence context.
- 33% of victims were aged between 10 and 17 years at the time of the recorded incident.
- 67% of victims knew the offender.
- Only 71% of assaults were reported to police within a year of the incident.
- 67% occurred at a residential location.
- 988 victims of sexual assault were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“The data paints a very harrowing picture of the levels of domestic and family violence and sexual violence in our communities and the work that needs to be done to better protect women and hold perpetrators to account,” Minister Camm said.
“For reasons unknown, during their decade of decline the former Labor Government never committed to establishing a peak body for sexual violence, a key recommendation of the Women’s Safety Justice Taskforce.”
The Government is also delivering $1.62 million in funding over the next five years for the First Nations Primary Prevention Group and the Remote Indigenous Women’s Shelter Network to consult on approaches to providing a First Nations led approach to responding to domestic and family violence, and sexual violence.
The new peak body and the First Nations Primary Prevention Group is set to play an important role in bolstering the safety of victims and driving perpetrator accountability in Queensland.
Both will collaborate with the Government on innovation and sector development, while also having input on policy direction.
“We thank Minister Camm and the Government for listening to and acting on the voices of victim-survivors and the specialist sexual violence sector, who have long called for, over many decades, a greater recognition of sexual violence in Queensland,” said QSAN Executive Officer, Angela Lynch.
“The decision to fund QSAN as the standalone specialist sexual violence peak body for Queensland will ensure our collective community efforts efficiently respond to and prevent sexual violence, which has once again reached record highs.
“A well-funded sexual violence peak body is critical to building a strong specialist sector with the capacity to provide timely and expert responses to victim-survivors when they turn to services in their hour of need.”
Chief Executive Officer of Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service, Wynetta Dewis said the funding was a vital step in tackling domestic, family, sexual violence.
“We thank Minister Camm for this funding, which will strengthen First Nations-led approaches to addressing domestic, family, and sexual violence,” she said.
“It will support culturally informed, community-driven solutions, designed by those who know their communities best.
“Disproportionately high rates of domestic and family violence among First Nations peoples make this funding vital, empowering culturally grounded and effective solutions.”
Warringu Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation CEO, Karen Dini-Paul said the investment recognised two decades of determination by Shelter Leaders to remain united and committed to their communities.
“It also acknowledges the Queensland Government’s role in supporting this vision and Warringu’s role in facilitating and holding the process that has allowed the Network to stand strong,” she said.
“With this new funding, shelters will be able to continue building their workforce, expand crisis accommodation, and sustain the cultural knowledge that keeps families safe and connected.”
