Reporting sexual offences and child abuse

• Brimbank 03 9313 3460
• Mernda 03 9216 1310
• Fawkner 03 9355 6100
• Wyndham (MDC*) 03 9216 0566
• Melbourne:
  • Phone: 03 9624 3781
  • Fax: 03 9244 2568

• Dandenong (MDC*) 03 8769 2200
• Frankston (MDC*) 03 8770 1000
• Bayside 03 8530 5203

• Ballarat 03 4372 9095
• Bendigo (MDC*) 03 5444 6752
• Colac 03 5230 0043
• Geelong (MDC*) 03 5246 8101
• Horsham 03 5382 9302
• Ararat 03 5355 1500
• Mildura (MDC*) 03 5023 5980
• Swan Hill 03 5036 1600
• Warrnambool 03 5560 1333

• Bairnsdale 03 5150 2677
• Benalla 03 5760 0230
• Box Hill 03 8892 3292
• Knox 03 8335 6701
• Morwell (MDC*) 03 5120 0351
• Wonthaggi 03 5671 4100
• Sale 03 5142 2200
• Seymour 03 5735 0208
• Shepparton 03 5820 5878
• Wangaratta 03 5723 0848
• Wodonga 02 6049 2600 - select 4 for SOCIT.

Your wellbeing and safety is our priority. We will listen without judgment and treat you with courtesy, respect and dignity. We will respect your cultural background and any individual safety and/or accessibility needs you might have. The decision as to whether to conduct a formal investigation will be discussed with you and your views will be respected and considered.

We will discuss your informal and formal support needs with you. We will work in partnership with you to ensure you have appropriate support in place by connecting you with victims of crime and support agencies.

You may have a support person of your choice throughout your dealings with us. It is important that your support person is not a witness in the case and does not interfere with the police investigation.

Your investigation will be handled by a specialist detective who will be your main point of contact. 

We will discuss with you how you would like us to keep you informed throughout the investigation and will keep you updated as agreed. We will be available for any questions you may have. 

There is no time limit for reporting sexual offences. Specialist detectives are trained to investigate sexual offences, no matter when they occurred.

We will usually take your statement very early in the investigation in a private setting. A statement records what you can recall about your experience in as much detail as possible. We will ask you about everything you can remember about what happened, including sounds, smells, how you felt and what you did. Try not to leave anything out. Even small details that you might not think are important can help us with the investigation.

We know recalling sexual offences can be difficult. It is not easy to share information of a personal and physically intimate nature. Our detectives will treat you with dignity and respect. They are trained to understand the impacts of sexual offences and will support you through the process. You may also have a support person present for emotional support.
Take the time you need to make your statement. It is important you feel comfortable when giving your statement. Giving your statement may take several hours and may sometimes require several appointments.

You will be given a copy of your statement when you have finished. If you remember something later or find a mistake in the statement, speak to the detective looking after your case.

Your investigation will be led by a detective who will be your main point of contact.
We will keep you informed of the progress during the investigation and will be available for any questions or concerns you may have. We can discuss with you how you would like us to update you during the investigation – in writing, by phone, email or in person. 

If you would prefer not to be kept up to date, let us know, or ask us to provide progress reports to your support person instead.

We will encourage and support you throughout the investigation. However, we understand you may decide that continuing with a police investigation is not the best option for you.

Deciding not to continue does not stop you from proceeding later. However, a delay in the investigation may result in some evidence being lost. Where there is a risk to community safety, we may still need to proceed with an investigation. Regardless of your decision, your safety and welfare will be our priority and we will work with you to connect you with support services.

We will usually take your statement very early in the investigation in a private setting. A statement records what you can recall about your experience in as much detail as possible. We will ask you about everything you can remember about what happened, including sounds, smells, how you felt and what you did. Try not to leave anything out. Even small details that you might not think are important can help us with the investigation.

We know recalling sexual offences can be difficult. It is not easy to share information of a personal and physically intimate nature. Our detectives will treat you with dignity and respect. They are trained to understand the impacts of sexual offences and will support you through the process. You may also have a support person present for emotional support.
Take the time you need to make your statement. It is important you feel comfortable when giving your statement. Giving your statement may take several hours and may sometimes require several appointments.

You will be given a copy of your statement when you have finished. If you remember something later or find a mistake in the statement, speak to the detective looking after your case.

Depending on the circumstances of your report and the timeframe, you may be asked to undergo a forensic medical examination. If a forensic medical examination is appropriate, we will explain what it will involve and will arrange the consultation for you with your consent.

Whether to undergo a forensic medical examination is your choice, however be mindful that evidence may be lost with time. Forensic medical examinations are conducted by a trained medical professional who will address any immediate medical needs, collect evidence for use in the investigation, may take photos of any injuries and will discuss any concerns you may have relating to sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy. You have a right to have a CASA counsellor advocate and/or a support person present during the examination.

For more information about forensic medical examinations, please visit the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine website(opens in a new window).

We will collect evidence related to the crime. What we collect as evidence will depend on the circumstances of the sexual offence. The evidence collected during the investigation will be stored securely and any items taken as evidence will only be kept as long as necessary.

At the completion of the proceedings, we will discuss with you which items you would like returned. We will take statements from people who may have witnessed the sexual offence or may be able to provide information that could assist the nvestigation. We understand you may be reluctant to have detectives speak to your family or friends.

We respect your privacy and will not reveal any unnecessary information when speaking to witnesses. If you are concerned or worried about anyone we might speak to, let us know so we can discuss your concerns.

If the accused is known or has been identified, we may interview them.

Depending on the circumstances, the accused may be kept in custody, released or granted bail until the court case starts.
Your safety will be our priority at every stage of the investigation. We will keep you informed and discuss with you how to manage your safety.

At the conclusion of the investigation, all the evidence collected will be examined by a person who is specifically trained to make decisions about matters that may proceed to court. The decision is made after careful consideration of the available evidence and the rules of law.

This does not mean we don’t believe you. It simply means we do not have enough evidence to meet the required level for criminal prosecution. If this happens, we will talk to you about it and explain the reasons why.

If the matter proceeds to court, a detective or the prosecutor will explain the process to you and will keep you up to date throughout. There are several stages in the court process and these vary depending on what court your case is being heard in.

There are special arrangements at court that are designed to minimise trauma. These include giving evidence from another location by closed- circuit television, using screens in the courtroom to ensure the accused is not visible to you and allowing a support person to be present with you when giving evidence.

For more information about going to court, please visit the Department of Justice and Community Safety website(opens in a new window).

There are services available to you and your family to assist and support you at court, such as the office of public prosecution’s witness assistance service. We can make referrals to these specialist support services if required.

For more information, please visit the Witness Assistance Service website(opens in a new window).

There are a range of organisations independent of victoria police that you can contact for further information and support. These organisations can support you regardless of your decision to report to police.

The term used to describe the person who is alleged to have committed an offence. They may also be referred to as the suspect, an offender, defendant, respondent or perpetrator depending on the context.

A highly trained police officer formally trained  to investigate sexual offences, child abuse and other criminal activity.

A medical examination to initially treat, assess, document and interpret injuries sustained during a crime. It is conducted by a trained medical professional called a Forensic Medical Officer or a Forensic Nurse Examiner.

A solicitor’s office that prosecutes serious criminal cases on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is a separate organisation to Victoria Police.

A specialist unit within Victoria Police that investigates reports of child sexual abuse (either historical or current) that occurred in a religious or institutional setting.

A broad range of non-consensual sexual behaviours. These include rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

A specialist team of detectives that investigate reports of sexual offences and child abuse.

A detailed description of facts and events witnessed or experienced by a person that are relevant to the crime under investigation. It is usually written down but can sometimes be recorded on video.

An organisation, separate to Victoria Police, offering various welfare support and assistance services such as counselling, information about the investigation and court process, medical assistance and emergency housing.

A person who offers emotional support during the investigation process. They can be a friend, family member or a worker or volunteer from a support service. This person cannot be a witness to the offence and should not interfere with the police investigation.