IBAC report finds sex pests remain a problem for the force
Victoria’s anti-corruption body has found predatory sexual behaviour is rife within police ranks, with victims of crimes among those most at risk.
Victoria’s peak weak anti-corruption body has found predatory sexual behaviour is still a problem within police ranks.
The review, conducted by the independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), assessed 27 Victoria Police internal investigations into alleged predatory behaviour between 2018 and 2022.
Its aim was to scrutinise the thoroughness of those investigations and whether appropriate sanctions were dealt.
But despite findings that Victoria Police handle most allegations of predatory behaviour well, with a “victim-centred” approach, IBAC has found evidence sex pests remain a problem for the force.
IBAC Deputy Commissioner Kylie Kilgour said predatory behaviour involves an officer misusing their position to begin, or attempt to begin, an emotional or sexual relationship with someone they meet in the course of their duties.
“It can also relate to the sexual assault, stalking, harassment or grooming of a person,” Ms Kilgour said.
“Despite efforts undertaken by Victoria Police over recent years, our review shows that predatory behaviour continues.
“We found women experiencing domestic or family violence were targets of predatory behaviour by police officers and more than half of all cases reviewed indicated a pattern of behaviour by the perpetrator against more than one person.”
Consensual relationships within Victoria Police can be considered predatory due to power imbalance or other circumstances.
Victoria Police, in 2014, set up Taskforce Salus, to investigate predatory behaviour within the force.
Police officers, to date, are not required to declare intimate relationships in the workplace.
More than half the cases reviewed indicated a level of tolerance for inappropriate behaviour or inaction by managers after an allegation is reported to them.
However, IBAC found most Victoria Police investigations into predatory behaviour made findings based on the evidence.
Sanctions for predatory behaviour were consistent with public expectations, IBAC found, but in some cases investigators were receiving “problematic” advice from the forces Discipline Advisory Unit.
Recommendations given to Victoria Police to reduce predatory behaviour have been accepted.
The recommendations include:
•Improvements to Victoria Police’s employee training, complaint investigation reporting and record keeping
•Improvements to the advice provided by Victoria Police’s Legal Discipline Advisory Unit
•Clearer guidance for employees on the declaration and management of intimate or personal workplace relationships
•Increased monitoring of the ethical health of police officers who are subject to predatory behaviour allegations
IBAC will monitor their implementation.
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