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This from News.com.au

The Victorian Government has been accused of gender “bias” against men, after sending two near identical versions of the same letter to sexual abuse victims with one startling difference.

The ‘women’s version’ of the letter offers victims “free, specialised and confidential legal advice” paid for by government, whereas the ‘male version’ of the letter offers no equivalent assistance or support whatsoever.

The controversy began last month, when news.com.au revealed the Victorian Government had introduced new gag laws which prohibit all sexual assault survivors from telling their stories under their real names once a conviction is in place.

Victims who break the gag law can face up to four months jail or heavy fines.

Over 200,000 people signed a petition for law reform and scores of individuals have written to the government to vent their frustration and concerns.

In response, on September 3, the Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy sent two versions of the same letter to a number of sexual abuse survivors who had contacted her: one aimed at women, and one aimed at men and anyone else.

Both versions of the letter begin by thanking the victim for “sharing (their) story”. Both confirm the government will now work “urgently” to reform the law that they introduced back in February. The letters then boast about “an additional $8.5 million” allocated by the government to sexual assault services in mid-2018 bringing “the government’s support … to more than $28 million in 2018-19, an increase of $6.8 million”.

The letter initially incited backlash online, amid claims its tone and the reference to government funding was “insensitive”, “self serving”, and “inappropriate”.

But now a greater point of controversy has emerged with survivors who have compared their letters, wanting answers as to why only women survivors were offered help and assistance.

The two additional paragraphs included in the ‘women’s version’ of the letter explain the government had now “partnered” with a legal service staffed by “female lawyers” who can assist any victim who wishes to tell “her” story.

News.com.au has confirmed that the service is not available to male survivors and it is unclear whether they respond non-binary and gender diverse survivors – who are statistically more at risk of experiencing sexual violence.

The ‘women’s version’ of the letter also includes information about Victoria Legal Aid’s helpline. This too was missing from the letter to men.

Andrew*, a male clergy abuse victim who has been gagged by the new law, has accused the government of gender bias.

“I don’t think it’s right that the government offer help to one set of people but not others. I think all people should be offered the same level of support regardless of if they are male, female, or non binary. Once again the law makers have got it wrong.”

A second male clergy abuse survivor, Peter* says “the government need to step up to the plate and realise sexual violence against men is just as important and it’s a lot harder for men to make contact with services to begin with”.

A third male survivor, Adam*, says the gender double standard “reinforces the mythology and ethos that men should shut up and bear it”.

“There is already so much broken trust. This just adds to that broken trust and to the trauma. It increases the isolation of men. It means we are excluded from justice.”

“It says to us men that men are excluded from the support. That as men, you just have to bury it down, you have to shut up and suck it up and take it.