Crucial evidence for sexual violence victims left to expire, Goldfields Women’s Health Care Centre boss says

Goldfielders have been called on to demand timely testing of forensic examination kits of victims of sexual violence after being told about concerns they are being left to expire before evidence is collected. Goldfields Women’s Health Care Centre chief executive Brooke Jennings urged attendees of the organisation’s International Women’s Day breakfast on Wednesday to sign a petition directed to the WA Parliament. Ms Jennings said victims underwent the invasive examination believing that the evidence collected will help deliver justice. “The serious issue being raised in WA right now is that some of these kits are expiring before they’re tested by the government,” she said. “This means that crucial evidence can be lost before it is ever analysed — evidence that could support an investigation, evidence that can strengthen a prosecution, and evidence that could help hold offenders accountable.” She said expired evidence affected more than just the case. “It affects confidence in the system,” she said. “It sends a message that the courage it took to report was not matched by the urgency to act on the Government’s behalf.” Each table at the breakfast was invited to sign a petition asking the WA Parliament to ensure sexual assault evidence was tested in time and that survivors were not failed by administrative delays and negligence. The petition calls for an audit of all untested forensic evidence kits, to ensure adequate resourcing in laboratories and the introduction of clear policies and timeframes to prevent kits from expiring. It asks for transparent public reporting on the number of kits collected, tested and pending analysis, and a survivor-centred process that upholds dignity, accountability and confidence in the justice system. Attendees of the breakfast could also scan a QR code that would send a similar email to members of State Parliament for debate. Ms Jennings said the signatures could carry real weight. “When elected representatives hear dozens or hundreds of people in their communities, they listen,” she said. “Every step towards fairness started with people who refused to stay silent and had those hard conversations.” She said regional communities had higher rates of reported sexual offences than metropolitan areas. “Unfortunately, the Goldfields is in the top for all of the regional communities,” she said. “These statistics are not abstract. They represent our neighbours, colleagues, friends and family members. “For far too many women, justice still feels out of reach across Western Australia. “International Women’s Day isn’t just about celebrating progress, it’s about recognising that we still have the power to shape what comes next.”