“Sexual assault victims who publicly discuss their experiences using their real names could face up to four months in prison, under a new law passed in the Australian state of Victoria, sparking outrage among campaigners” CNN reports.
“Changes to the state’s Judicial Proceedings Reports Act, which were made quietly in February, make it an offense for anyone to publicly disseminate information that leads to the identification of a victim of sexual assault. The law makes no allowances for the victims themselves, meaning that they could be prosecuted for discussing their own experiences in the media, on television, online or by writing a book, unless they use a fake name. Critics have described the amendment as a ‘gag’ law, and have launched the #LetUsSpeak campaign demanding that the state’s government changes the regulations. ‘This has been described as a ‘win’ for paedophiles and rapists, and is a huge blow for survivors who no longer have the legal right to speak out,’ campaigner Nina Funnell wrote on a fundraising page that has raised more than $42,000 AUD (about $30,300 USD).”