Sexual violence laws in Queensland
Emergency help or support
This website discusses sexual violence and abuse.
Call Triple Zero (000) and ask for police if you are in a dangerous or life-threatening situation.
If you don't want to speak to the police, you can also call the Sexual Assault Helpline on 1800 010 120 (7.30am to 11.30pm, 7 days a week).
Find other support options.
A raft of legislative amendments commenced in Queensland from 23 September 2024 to support the prevention of sexual violence, drive change in the way offences are prosecuted and defended in the justice system, and remove outdated stereotypes and myths.
Changes to the laws in Queensland include:
- reform to consent laws and the mistake of fact defense, moving Queensland to an affirmative model of consent
- explicitly criminalising non-consensual condom removal or tampering, known as 'stealthing'
- expanding the reasonable excuses for the offence of failure to report a belief of child sexual abuse
- introducing jury directions for sexual offence proceedings and strengthened provisions pertaining to improper questions
- expanding the use of preliminary complaint evidence to domestic violence offences
- requiring the court to consider making a temporary protection order when adjourning the hearing of an application for a domestic violence protection order.
Find out more about Queensland's consent laws.
Read more about the Criminal Law (Coercive Control and Affirmative Consent) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024.
Stakeholder resources
Failure to report offence
View or download the failure to report offence factsheet 230.1 KB).
Affirmative consent and stealthing
View or download the Affirmative consent factsheet 183.7 KB)