Experts are confident a new sexual offences and child abuse investigation team in Sunshine will help address a steep increase in sex crimes in Brimbank and Melton.
Brimbank police’s Acting Inspector Jenny Wilson said a unit operating out of Footscray would be split after a $1.28 million upgrade of Sunshine station.
Police data shows sex crimes in Brimbank, excluding rape, increased 41 per cent in the year to June, from 143 to 202 reported incidents. But rape reports fell 32 per cent, from 86 to 58.
“The unit will increase confidence in reporting [these kinds of crimes],” Acting Inspector Wilson said. “It will further improve local knowledge and provide greater access to services.”
Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) executive officer Jane Vanderstoel said the division of the existing unit was a “good next step”.
“It becomes easier for local people to report by having the service in their community – it feels like it belongs to them and it will strengthen our response to assaults,” she said.
About 17 per cent of calls to CASA last year were from Melton.
