The Tasmanian government says it will send a clear message to the public that strangling or choking another person will not be tolerated via a public awareness campaign.
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A bill to protect Tasmanian women against non-fatal strangulation, choking and suffocation, which also includes amendments to make stealthing a sexual assault, has been tabled in Parliament by the Liberal government.
The move to make stealthing a sexual assault follows similar bills being introduced in South Australia, as well as moves to change consent laws in Victoria and WA. Similar laws have also been overhauled in NSW and Queensland.
It also follows a report that found young Australians have a low understanding of sexual violence.
Attorney-General Elise Arhcer said it will campaign to educate the public about a standalone law against non-fatal strangulation and also laws against stealthing, as part of its family violence reforms.
The draft laws were released for public comment in December last year.
Attorney-General Elise Archer said the bill appropriately recognises that non-fatal strangulation, choking or suffocation is a significant form of violence, which can be a precursor for escalation in the severity of family violence.
She said it also includes amendments to the definition of consent to include stealthing.
"Violence in any form is never acceptable, and this legislation will strengthen our laws and send a strong message it will not be tolerated in Tasmania," Ms Archer said.
"We are also rolling out a community education and awareness campaign to ensure we send a clear and strong statement about the seriousness of these crimes," she said.
"Specific recognition of stealthing in the law would help educate the public and discourage would-be offenders and empower more women who have experienced stealthing to come forward and access advice and support."
Ms Archer said further amendments to the Family Violence Act would be progressed through Parliament in the coming weeks.
"This significant suite of family violence reforms confirms we are continuing to ensure our laws are strong and robust, to protect victim-survivors of family violence, and ensure perpetrators are appropriately held to account for the severity of their crimes."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Prevention of Family Violence minister Jacquie Petrusma said Tasmania's next Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan would have victim-survivor voices at its core.
She said the Hearing Lived Experience Survey 2022 was giving adult victim-survivors the opportunity to share their experiences anonymously.
"Pleasingly, we have already received 440 completed survey responses in less than four weeks, which is a fantastic level of response in such a short period of time," she said
"The survey is also achieving a fantastic reach, with ads on social media generating more than 707,000 impressions and more than 8,000 link clicks. On Facebook, the ad has reached more than 74,000 unique users, and on TikTok it has reached more than 70,000 unique users.
"An advertising campaign on Snapchat will also begin on Tuesday."
