The NSW and Australian governments are rolling out 11 specialist justice system navigators across New South Wales to strengthen support for victim-survivors of sexual violence.
As part of the NSW Government’s Strengthening Sexual Violence Justice Responses package, $4.36 million will support specialist workers providing trauma-informed guidance to help victim-survivors understand their rights, navigate the justice system and connect with legal and other services.
The two-year pilot will operate across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW.
Five navigators will be based in community organisations, including Bullinah Aboriginal Health Services, Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services, Full Stop Australia, Mallee Family Care and Rosie’s Place.
Two will be embedded in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations at Yenu Allowah Aboriginal Child & Family Centre and Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service.
A further four navigators will work through Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Services and be co-located at NSW Police stations in Fairfield, Belmont, Orange and Nowra.
The navigator program forms part of the expanded $6.2 million Strengthening Sexual Violence Justice Responses package, funded through the Commonwealth’s Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2021–2030 Federation Funding Agreement.
The broader package also includes $1.74 million to expand Legal Aid NSW services through the new NSW Sexual Assault Survivors Legal Service and $180,000 for research into restorative justice models.
The initiative builds on an earlier $5 million package announced in March, which established the navigator pilots and additional specialist legal support.
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said the pilot would provide practical support for victim-survivors facing what can be a complex and difficult justice process.
The government says the program is intended to provide greater continuity of support from the point a victim-survivor seeks assistance through different stages of the justice system.
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