Day 2: Sexual violence
Sexual violence is an important area of focus for the Royal Commission under its Terms of Reference. This day of hearings focused on two aspects of the health and criminal justice responses to sexual violence.
Transcript - 21 November 2024 (PDF, 821.2 KB)
Morning session - from 9.15am
The health response to a victim / survivor of sexual assault in metropolitan and regional areas.
Katrina Dee is the Director of Heath and Recovery Trauma Safety Services (HARTSS), of the Women's and Children’s Health Network in South Australia.
She is a qualified social worker and has further qualifications in workplace training and assessment. She started working at WCHN in 1995 and has in excess of 30 years’ experience in the field of violence against children, youth, and women. She is a state representative on the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence Board and was an appointed member of the Youth Justice Review Board.
Katrina co-ordinates the Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Executive Leadership Network across SA Health which has a commitment to enhancing healthcare responses to sexual, domestic, and family violence across SA Health.
The policing response to a victim / survivor of sexual assault in metropolitan and regional areas.
Cath Hilliard is currently the Officer in Charge, Serious Crime Coordination Branch. She has worked for SAPOL for 37 years and was appointed as a Detective in 1998. She has investigated serious crimes including domestic and sexual violence, homicides, organised crime, illicit drugs, money laundering, and armed robberies. She has managed investigational areas including Special Crimes Investigation Branch, Northern District Criminal Investigation Branch, State Protective Security Branch, and Family and Domestic Violence Section within the Public Protection Branch (incorporating responsibilities for the Multi-Agency Protection Service and the development of policy and training across the portfolios of domestic abuse, child protection, vulnerable victims including elder abuse and sexual crime).
Cath holds tertiary qualifications including a Bachelor of Social Science (Justice Administration) and a Master of Studies (Applied Criminology and Police Management).
The Regional Responses to Sexual Assault project
Debbie Martin is the Executive Director of the Rural Support Service. The Rural Support Service operates as a partner to each regional Local Health Network, providing them with flexible, responsive, and innovative services that support them to grow and deliver the best health outcomes for their communities.
Debbie has worked in the health sector in South Australia for approximately 35 years, working in both metropolitan and country health services. She holds a Masters in Primary Health Care, Bachelor of Social Work and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Afternoon session - from 3.15pm
Experiences of victim/survivors in the criminal justice system and sexual violence myths
Sarah Quick is the third Commissioner for Victims' Rights in South Australia.
Sarah started working with the Commissioner for Victims' Rights in 2008 as a program and policy officer before she was appointed as Assistant Commissioner in 2017.
Before working with the Commissioner, Sarah taught sociology and victimology at the Department of Justice, Technical and Further Education College, South Australia and was the Law Week Coordinator.
She was awarded a South Australian Police Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding support to families bereaved by homicide and the development of an information booklet in relation to unsolved homicides. In 2015 she was also awarded the Victim Support Service's Victim Service Worker of the Year.
She has spoken at local, national and international conferences and seminars on victims' rights and victim assistance, and has published (under Sarah Fletcher) articles on these topics.
Having worked in the field for more than 14 years, Sarah has an extensive understanding of the broad issues faced by victims of crime in South Australia and the best practice approaches to address victims' needs.
Changes to the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence offences in England and Wales
Siobhan Blake is the Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) of the West Midlands. She was appointed to this post in April 2021.
Prior to this role she was the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Mersey-Cheshire Area. She took up the appointment in 2016.
Siobhan qualified as a solicitor having studied law at Southampton and joined the CPS in 1994 as a trainee solicitor. After qualification Siobhan worked in private practice for a period before returning to the CPS in 1998.
Siobhan is an experienced prosecutor who specialises rape and serious sexual offences prosecutions and has advised upon and prosecuted many high-profile cases. She has been the national CCP lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) since 2018. As the Chief Crown Prosecutor of the West Midlands, she is responsible for the criminal prosecutions conducted within a geographic area which is home for 6 million people.
