Police response to gay sexual assault victim prompts investigation

Criticism over Geelong police station’s response to the sexual assault of a gay man have prompted the victim to seek monetary compensation, and initiated an investigation of the incident by Victoria Police.

Zac Damelian was finally able to make a victim statement about the assault to a member of the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) in Melbourne, almost two weeks after the attack occurred.

“After having to contact senior level Victoria Police officers in order to make my victim statement, finally it was arranged at the Melbourne SOCIT for a member of the SOCIT team to actually take the victim statement,” Damelian told the Star Observer.

“It has been relayed to me though that although the victim statement is being taken in Melbourne it will still be the Geelong SOCIT team who will investigate the matter.”

Following his reported sexual assault on September 27, Damelian felt ridiculed by the police response when he reported the attack to the Geelong police station, then was belittled by a public statement from police in the Geelong Advertiser the next day.

Due to his experience Damelian requested to make a victim statement to police in Melbourne instead of the station in Geelong where he was allegedly harassed.

Geelong police told the Star Observer last week they took this as a refusal by Damelian to make a victim statement.

This week police in Geelong made a further attempt to take a statement from Damelian locally, but Damelian again said he did not want to make a statement to police who he felt had harassed him.

Damelian has been notified his complaints about the conduct of officers at the Geelong Police Station are being investigated by the Victoria Police Professional Standards Command.

He also told the Star Observer he will be seeking monetary compensation from Victoria Police for his treatment following the sexual assault.

Damelian said he was reluctant to do so, but believes it is the only way to ensure his complaint is taken seriously by the relevant authorities.

“Sometimes when it comes to government the only way they pay attention is when they actually have to pay a dollar,” he said.

The Star Observer contacted the Geelong Police Station for comment but did not receive a response.