A bill aiming to fix legislation which unintentionally silenced survivors of sexual abuse will return to to state parliament again on Wednesday.
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The first reading for the Justice Legislation Amendment (Supporting Victims and Other Matters) Bill took place on Tuesday, and will head to the Upper House for its next sitting week in a fortnight's time.
There was furor when it was revealed changes to the laws regarding public disclosure of sexual assault meant survivors would not be able to tell consensually tell their own stories with their own names and faces, without a court order, adding unnecessary stress to an already horrific situation for many.
Last week, one Ballarat-based survivor of clerical sexual abuse, Phil Nagle, successfully won the right to tell his own story again.
He said Tuesday's first reading of the bill was a "long overdue" step to remove "a stupid law".
"If we hadn't made the noise, they wouldn't have filed (the legislation)," he said.
"I've had my gag order lifted, and I know there's another seven people getting theirs lifted, but I still think it'll be a certain amount of time before the legislation passes and the law gets changed.
"It's the gap in between - look at Ballarat, look at Loud Fence, it's all about no more silence, because we've been silent too long."
A state government media release notes "the Bill will make it clear that victim-survivors can self-publish their identity, for example on social media, and allow most victim-survivors to be identified by consent, without court involvement".
"It will also provide reassurance to survivors who have spoken out in the past, delivering immunity for a range of past publications," it continues.
"The reforms were developed in close consultation with victim-survivors and those who work with them following a series of roundtables in September, including members of the 'Let Her Speak' campaign, the Victims of Crime Consultative Committee, the Victim-Survivors' Advisory Council and the Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault."
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