Find out how to protect counselling notes during Sexual Violence Awareness Month
LEGAL Aid Queensland and the Women’s Legal Service will be visiting Townsville this week delivering information sessions to help people protect their counselling records from being used in court proceedings.
Under laws introduced by the Queensland Government last year, sexual assault victims’ counselling records are protected from being used during a court case unless they or the court give permission for the records to be produced.
A new service—Counselling Notes Protect (CNP)—run by Legal Aid Queensland and the Women’s Legal Service offers free legal advice and representation to support the Sexual Assault Counselling Privilege laws, helping victims protect their rights.
CNP senior lawyer Jason Garrick and Women’s Legal Service solicitor Julie Sarkozi will be in Townsville on Wednesday and Thursday (October 17 & 18) delivering education sessions about the CNP and the new Sexual Assault Counselling Privilege laws for service providers in the Townsville region.
“October is Sexual Violence Awareness Month, so we’re encouraging organisations in the Townsville region to come and find out more about how to protect their clients’ private counselling records,” Mr Garrick said.
“Our sessions are for teachers, social workers, mental health practitioners, counsellors and lawyers, and provide information about the service, how professionals can respond to requests for a client’s records to be disclosed, and how to refer victims to the CNP for legal help.
“Getting help from a counsellor after a sexual assault is so important to a person’s recovery, and protecting those private counselling notes and records from being called as evidence by an accused person during court proceedings can help reduce the stress and potential trauma a victim can face when a matter goes to court.”
For further information about the information sessions or to find out more about Counselling Notes Protects contact 1300 267 762 (for Legal Aid Queensland) or 1800 957 957 for the Women’s Legal Service.
Media contact:
Miranda Greer or Amanda Catania 3917 0407
Last updated 15 October 2018