maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship offence to be that occur overseas, via a postal service, and via a particularised as courses of conduct. carriage service. The Australian Government has strong criminal offences to combat persistent child sexual abuse overseas. Persistent child sexual abuse outside Australia is criminalised under subdivision 272.11 of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence is established by a person committing an unlawful sexual act on three or more occasions during any period. This offence does not require proof of the dates or exact circumstances of each occasion. The Australian Government will continue to consider the appropriateness of new course of conduct offences. On 13 September 2017, the Australian Government introduced the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2017 to the Australian Parliament. The Bill introduces mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders found guilty of Commonwealth child sex offences, including offenders whose first offence was a state or territory child sex offence. These measures appropriately address repeat and persistence child sexual abuse applicable to the offences allowable under Commonwealth legislative powers. To the extent they do not already have a broad grooming offence, The Commonwealth has existing broad grooming 25 Accept each state and territory government should introduce legislation to offences which are consistent with this amend its criminal legislation to adopt a broad grooming offence that recommendation. These offences capture communication or conduct with a child with the
maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship offence to be particularised as courses of conduct. that occur overseas, via a postal service, and via a carriage service. The Australian Government has strong criminal offences to combat persistent child sexual abuse overseas. Persistent child sexual abuse outside Australia is criminalised under subdivision 272.11 of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence is established by a person committing an unlawful sexual act on three or more occasions during any period. This offence does not require proof of the dates or exact circumstances of each occasion. The Australian Government will continue to consider the appropriateness of new course of conduct offences. On 13 September 2017, the Australian Government introduced the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) Bill 2017 to the Australian Parliament. The Bill introduces mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders found guilty of Commonwealth child sex offences, including offenders whose first offence was a state or territory child sex offence. These measures appropriately address repeat and persistence child sexual abuse applicable to the offences allowable under Commonwealth legislative powers. 25 To the extent they do not already have a broad grooming offence, each state and territory government should introduce legislation to amend its criminal legislation to adopt a broad grooming offence that Accept The Commonwealth has existing broad grooming offences which are consistent with this recommendation. These offences capture communication or conduct with a child with the
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