Police criticised for dismissing gay sexual assault victim

Police criticised for dismissing gay sexual assault victim

Victoria PolicePolice in Geelong have come under fire for their handling of the reported sexual assault of a gay man, sparking an investigation expected to reach the desk of the Victoria Police Chief Commissioner.

Zac Damelian, a Melbourne man who grew up in Geelong, was violently assaulted in a public toilet in Johnstone Park around 250 metres from the nearby Geelong Police Station last Friday. Damelian left the scene immediately to report the incident to police, but on arrival at the station was told to call 000 for police to be dispatched as they could not leave the building.

Damelian said police were dismissive, telling him they couldn’t get on the “bat-phone” to arrange a police response straight away.

Still in shock following his assault, Damelian returned after calling 000 wanting to make a complaint about how he had been treated, but was dismissed by the officer on duty. Damelian said he would speak to the local press about the incident, and was reportedly told by an officer, “Do your best”.

The police responding to the 000 call soon after were not able to locate the alleged attacker.

Damelian reported the incident to local newspaper the Geelong Advertiser, and a story was published on Saturday. Acting Senior Sergeant Matthew Sims was quoted in the piece as saying Damelian must have thought he was at a fictional police station in TV show Blue Heelers, expecting police to run out of the station to chase the offender.

“That’s not how it works,” Sims is reported as saying.

“We have to ring 000 to get a van to attend and we did that. And it’s all documented that we did it straight away and they were there in a short amount of time.”

Damelian told the Star Observer he felt humiliated by Sims’ public comments.

“I bawled my eyes out…I cannot believe they totally belittled a person after a sexual attack,” he said.

Although he was not cruising for sex, Damelian is aware the public toilet where he was assaulted is known to be a gay beat, and believes the Geelong Police would also be aware of this.

“The police response to a gay man being attacked at a gay beat was absolutely appalling and disgusting,” Damelian said, arguing this could have contributed to the police not taking him seriously as a victim of sexual assault.

“I had stated to the police that I knew that it was a gay male beat and that attacks had happened there before, and that it’s ridiculous and that they should go out there. I just got that whole look up and down and really dismissive attitude.

“If I had have been a woman or a male adolescent who didn’t [seem] homosexual I would have got a very different response from police.”

Damelian also said he had not spoken directly to Sims about the incident, which had been handled on Friday by other officers on duty at Geelong Police Station.

After the story ran in the Geelong Advertiser Damelian called the Geelong Police Station to make a statement about the assault, speaking to the officer in charge, Senior Sergeant Karen Allsopp.

Allsopp reportedly tried to refer the phone call to Sims, but Damelian did not wish to make a statement about a sexual assault to the officer who he felt had publicly humiliated him. When Damelian tried to arrange to make a statement with Allsopp, she allegedly told Damelian she didn’t want to get involved and ended the call.

The Star Observer spoke to Acting Senior Sergeant Matthew Sims regarding the incident, who reiterated the Victoria Police procedure of needing to call 000 when an urgent matter is reported directly to officers at a station.

Sims believed he was quoted out of context in the article, but stood by his comments. He said the only information he had about Damelian’s conversation with Allsopp was an email saying the victim had called to make a statement but hadn’t left contact details.

Sims said the sexual assault was not being investigated by police as it had not been formally reported in a statement. He also said no one has been arrested over the attack.

Speaking to the Star Observer, Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA) spokesperson Carolyn Worth was shocked at Damelian’s story. The CASAs work extensively with Victoria Police to implement procedures for handling reports of sexual violence, in conjunction with special police units called Sexual Offence and Criminal Investigation Teams (SOCITs).

“The guidelines — they’re very clear — is that you tell general duties, that’s the general cops, that you’ve had a sexual assault. They then handball it to SOCIT to investigate. SOCIT attend very quickly, and they usually track offenders very quickly,” Worth said.

“SOCIT people are detectives who’ve also been trained in victim work. So they would have gone and looked for the alleged offender and secured the crime scene. So there’s a whole load of things they haven’t done. It’s breathtaking, really.”

Worth said this should have happened as soon as Damelian reported the assault, and that Sims had breached police procedure by discussing the matter with the media. She said the police response may have worsened Damelian’s trauma following his assault.

“If somebody turns up to a police station to report a sexual assault then they should be treated with some respect, and provided with a space to tell someone very quickly the details, not left at the front counter and told to ring 000,” Worth said.

“Then everything that’s happened since I would think would exacerbate his trauma, would make him feel dis-empowered, like no one’s really listening to him. To then go to the media and make something public in that manner is unforgivable.”

The Star Observer also spoke to Barwon CASA CEO Helen Bolton. The Barwon CASA works with police in the Geelong area as part of a “Multidisciplinary Centre,” linking Victoria Police with CASAs, child protection authorities and other services relating to victims of sexual assault.

Bolton said all police were supposed to be aware of the SOCITs, and wasn’t aware of widespread examples of conduct like this by police in Geelong.

“The SOCIT has got almost 20 members in Geelong. They’re a well-known and highly-regarded unit,” Bolton said.

“CASA works in closely with the SOCIT members; we have a great relationship and we’ve achieved amazing outcomes. So it’s really unfortunate Zac wasn’t referred across to that specialised team.”

Bolton was also shocked the Geelong Police were not investigating the assault, having taken Damelian’s alleged refusal to speak to Senior Sergeant Sims following his statements in the Geelong Advertiser as a refusal to make a statement at all.

She urged police to refer the matter to the SOCIT in Geelong.

Executive Director Greg Adkins from LGBTI organisation Anti Violence Project (AVP) was also surprised at the police response to Damelian’s report. AVP works with Victoria Police to improve the relationship between police and the LGBTI community.

“Gay men reporting sexual assault are treated with the utmost respect,” Adkins told the Star Observer, arguing the incident is not representative of Victoria Police as a whole.

“The sexual offences unit people handle it delicately and in a supportive way, and work with the sexual assault units like the CASAs. There’s a really good relationship.

“I think the 000 referral is probably a desperation measure by a member of the police force who wasn’t aware of the protocols of engaging with the sexual offences squad…the priority is the victim.”

The Star Observer asked Senior Sergeant Sims about the apparent failures to follow protocol by his officers, but Sims said he was not aware of such a breach.

“I’m not aware of that. Because he’s an adult victim and it’s an indecent assault, it initially falls down to the uniform branch for the initial investigation. That’s what I’m of the opinion of,” said Sims.

During the Star Observer’s investigation Damelian spoke to Sims about making a statement, and told him he would be making a statement to a Victoria Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officer (GLLO). Sims said he had nothing to go on regarding the assault until a statement was made.

Sims said he had not breached police procedure by speaking to media, claiming to have only discussed Damelian’s complaint.

“I was speaking to the media in relation to the lack of police action, and there is no comment from me about the sexual assault. I spoke to Zac about that…he understood my position on that,” Sims said.

“It wasn’t me downplaying sexual assault at all. My conversation [with the Geelong Advertiser]…was in relation to the police action of being 200 metres from a police station and us being unable to attend.

“Probably if I was in the same boat I might do the same thing… I would advise that if you do require police attendance, the best thing to do is to leave the scene or get at a safe distance and ring 000.”

Despite Sims’ claims to the contrary, Damelian told Star Observer their conversation had been adversarial.

Damelian has taken the matter up with Victoria Police’s Internal Affairs Unit, who expect it to come to the attention of Chief Commissioner Ken Lay. Damelian also said he has contacted the Ethical Standards Department over Senior Sergeant Karen Allsopp’s alleged refusal to take his statement.

The Star Observer attempted to contact Lay’s office for comment but has been unable to receive a response at the time of writing.

Damelian said he hopes sharing his experience will ensure others don’t have to go through the same thing.

“I’m a logical person. The chances of actually finding that guy and me going through the trauma of making statements and everything to the police is going to be absolutely worthless in that respect,” he said.

“But they need to be held accountable, not just for me, but for any other sexual victim in the future that this may happen to in Geelong.”

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13 responses to “Police criticised for dismissing gay sexual assault victim”

  1. I agree with Skype Zac is a liar and complete wanker. I can’t tell you why but just trust me people don’t know his reality. He is a complete waste of space and no one should believe him as I have seen him from close quarters.

  2. I know this Zac very well, this paedophile who got into the medical industry for his own sexual gratification for a short period of time, drug taking thief and ex(?) prostitute would of brought this attention to himself in a deliberate attempt to cause a fight in the beat that he would of been doing that obviously went wrong and he obviously got hurt this time, this is not the 1st time he has accused other people of sexually assaulting him and acting all innocent or the 1st time he has accused police of not helping him when he needs it, boy who cried wolf comes to mind not just in Victoria but other states in Australia as well.

  3. I am sorry Justin, but you were there when your partner was assaulted and didnt call police? and then you followed the attacker whilst your assaulted partner went and dealt with police by himself, traumatised and fragile? And the police responded within in 23 minutes which is pretty fast considering he wasnt in immediate danger anymore. I am sorry it must be a sensitive time but blaming the police is pretty harsh.

  4. Actually rbt and Gary, the man who assaulted my partner was in full view of myself I was in fact following him at a safe distance the police were informed of this at the time and only until 23mins had passed and I (not knowing Geelong at all) lost the preditor did we receive police action. The real insult here is the way the officers behaved because of the perceived nature of the attack (gay gentleman gay beat clearly cruising) the insinuations that have been placed upon Zac by Geelong police were insulting and hurtful. Feel free to also read the mcv article to get better acquainted but when you have the CASA’s stating that all procedures performed by the police were clearly incorrect, it’s obviously in breach of protocol. I’d suggest having a little more thought into how the police acted and then place yourselves in our shoes.

    I’d love you both to see Zac as he gets up every morning. As a former paramedic this has an even more profound effect as he has worn the very same crown those officers do. Ultimately your colleagues have now belittled you to the point of exhaustion. Plus, and unfortunately ur not privy to the other and current responses on the issue, today is the 5th October. It has taken a week for someone to contact us to even take a victims statement after having been hung up on by Snr Sarg Alsopp and belittled even more by a Dect Jarvis from the Geelong SOKIT team.

    To all everyone else, thanks for your words of encouragement and kindness. It means a lot to us both.

  5. For those idiots defending the police response that dont bother running to a police station when it is the nearest safe place from the assault and to ring 000…. When you are in the sort of situation, you are not exactly thinking clearly, it would make sense if you see the police station and run for it asking for help (I am assuming the police as still the ones that are meant to protect and serve?). If for some reason the police at this station require a 000 call, why could they not just put the victim in a room or quite space and then ring 000 for the victim – or would that require logical thinking on their part???

  6. I am not sure what the issue is here really? This guy went to the police station to report an assault and was told it needed to be reported to 000, is that any different to taking a seat and getting he next available station officer to help, or should we have a officer ready to chase. The perpetrator would have been long gone. Rational thinking would suggest dialling 000 would get assistance the quickest.

  7. My misses is a cop in Victoria and I can tell you, if you call the police station or if you walk into the cop shop the cops do have to call 000 . So if anything happens to you your wasting time calling a station because I’d has to go through dispatch so it’s properly recorded.

    Some stations are undermanned the person at the front desk is called the watch house keeper and their job is the front desk they can’t leave the station .

    The problem here is you are upset with the rules the government has set for the police to work by. You should get into government and change the procedures instead of hanging the police because they are told things have to be done they way that the majority voted in.

    • Gary, the station was 250 meters away. The 000 response to a sexual assault took over 20 minutes. The protocols have been broken. Why was he not offered a safe place? Why defend your wife? Oh that’s right misses is a bigot type of name to call your loving wife so why would our community expect you to actually be educated and read the 3 articles. How about contacting Damelian himself? How about being supportive? If your wife was sexually assaulted you’d be angry to! What I admire about Zac is he has put his name to the fight and as quoted is doing this to ensure no other person goes through this……what’s your last name Gary? Or are you just another Internet troll out to try humiliate Zac again? Not just the Police officer but an officers spouse. Oh and just for your information. The victims partner had the attacker under visual watch and followed him. Even after telling 000 that according to Damelian it took over 20 minutes to respond. I’d be so ashamed of your comments!

      If your talking to your wife about protocol and response maybe ask her why Vic Police are the most violent, responsible for more shootings than any other state and ask her about tasty night club?

      Gary not all police are bigots and I’m sure your wife isn’t but people like you are the reason why victims feel disempowered and dismissed. The reason sexual assault victims commit suicide.

      I hope you reflect on this and at least post an apology to Damelian via this site. You IP address has been recorded and this thread sent to Vic Police as its against media protocol for an officers spouse to comment on an ongoing internal affairs investigation.

  8. After an adult the people you expect to help are police to potentially catch the attacker, and ambulance officers if you’re needing medical attention.

    I can’t imagine the fear the victim has felt but to feel humiliated, and rejected by the people charge to Uphold the Right (Law) in Victoria must have been TRUELY terrifying.

    This is a massive problem for Vic Police, and needs addressing and correcting the behaviour of these officers and maybe better training. Police are known for protecting their own and maybe better to hope changes can be made.

    Worst thing is the overall stereotype of a hick country town is optimised by Geelong and surrounds. Pretty narrow minded council, media and has a real “bible belt” mentality.
    (Apologies to open minded people that might reside in Geelong)

    Anyhow, Zac I hope you get some support further up in the Police Force because you have been doubly assaulted if this is allowed to pass.
    NO ONE IS SAFE if you can’t trust the POLICE.

  9. After an adult the people you expect to help are police to potentially catch the attacker, and ambulance officers if you’re needing medical attention.

    I can’t imagine the fear the victim has felt but to feel humiliated, and rejected by the people charge to Uphold the Right (Law) in Victoria must have been TRUELY terrifying.

    This is a massive problem for Vic Police, and needs addressing and correcting the behaviour of these officers and maybe better training. Police are known for protecting their own and maybe better to hope changes can be made.

    Worst thing is the overall stereotype of a hick country town is optimised by Geelong and surrounds. Pretty narrow minded council, media and has a real “bible belt” mentality.

    Anyhow, Zac I hope you get some support further up in the Police Force because you have been doubly assaulted if this is allowed to pass.
    NO ONE IS SAFE if you can’t trust the POLICE.

  10. Epping socit unit refused to investigate an offence that was committed against me by a known perpetrator I was distressed and crying I asked for help but recieved anything but help. I was treated with hostility and was not offered any help in anyway.I was revictamised by the police, why bother going to them for help,I have lost confidence in the police.The community is not safe if this is how police perform their duties.

  11. This is fucking appalling, who pays for these lame ass lazy useless fucken police? We do, by our taxes we pay for them, and what do they do? Well in this case sweet FA – I thought Victorian police were better than the dregs we know as NSW police but maybe not…