Text as at 26 April 2026

This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

37B Guiding principles

It is the intention of Parliament that in interpreting and applying Subdivisions (8A) to (8G), courts are to have regard to the fact that—

S. 37B inserted by No. 2/2006 s. 5.

(a)there is a high incidence of sexual violence within society; and

(b)sexual offences are significantly under-reported; and

(c)a significant number of sexual offences are committed against women, children and other vulnerable persons including persons with a cognitive impairment or mental illness; and

S. 37B(c) amended by No. 47/2016 s. 7.

(d)sexual offenders are commonly known to their victims; and

(e)sexual offences often occur in circumstances where there is unlikely to be any physical signs of an offence having occurred.