Media Release
Crime Prevention Week/Sexual Assault Month, Cairns
Cairns police and support agencies are launching a Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention referral card as part of Crime Prevention Week and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.
Crime Prevention Week began on Saturday, October 20, while Sexual Violence Awareness Month runs throughout October.
Helen Sheeran, from the Family Planning Queensland Cairns Sexual Assault Service, welcomed the referral card.
“Our service is pleased to collaborate with Queensland Police on this initiative,” Ms Sheeran said.
“The rates of sexual assault in Far North Queensland are unacceptably high and this project reflects a coordinated community response to sexual assault.”
Acting Superintendent Ian Swan, Cairns District Officer, said the Cairns Police District was working with a whole-of-government strategy in an effort to combat all forms of violence in the community.
“It is pleasing to see the rate of breaches of domestic violence orders is decreasing, but we would like to see a decrease in assaults across the board,” Superintendent Swan said.
“The Cairns City Council’s Safe Communities Crime Prevention Committee has been instrumental in bringing the various agencies together.
“This committee was also involved in launching the ‘Violence No Way’ project earlier this year, which is an ongoing ant-violence campaign in the region.”
The campaign website can be viewed at www.violencenoway.org.
Media and Public Affairs Branch
07 3015 2444
Other languages