Abstract
There has been an increased use of self-administered surveys and reporting applications developed by policing jurisdiction in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia as alternative and confidential reporting options for victim of and witnesses to crimes, including sexual assault. These tools help to support the documentation of experiences and to collect statements and information from witnesses without having to be formally interviewed by police. Sexual assault support services have also created self-reporting tools to connect sexual assault survivors with counselling services, as well as provide information to police.
This paper offers an analysis of data from two Australian-based reporting options: SARO (developed by New South Wales Police) and SARA (developed by the South Eastern Centre against Sexual assault, in Melbourne). We show how these reports have the capacity to assist with intelligence gathering as well as connect survivors to appropriate therapeutic support. There is also scope for survivors to make formal reports, should they wish to do so. We conclude by highlighting what further research needs to be undertaken in order to better support communities to engage with alternative reporting tools in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.