Public hearing 28: Violence against and abuse of people with disability in public places

This hearing was conducted by the Honourable Ronald Sackville AO KC (Chair), Dr Rhonda Galbally AC and the Honourable John Ryan AM. This hearing was open to the public and was livestreamed on our website.

Public hearing 28 focussed on people with disability who have experienced violence and abuse in public places. This includes incidents of verbal abuse and harassment, intimidation and threatening behaviour, and physical assaults, taking place in a range of settings including:

• on the street
• in shopping centres
• on public transport
• in bars and entertainment venues, and
• on online platforms.

The scope and purpose of Public hearing 28 is to:

• hear about people with disability’s experiences of violence and abuse in public places
• identify what is presently known about the prevalence of violence and abuse in public places
• highlight the impacts of violence and abuse in public places
• consider the avenues for reporting violence and abuse in public places, in both physical and online settings
• examine the frameworks for responding to violence and abuse in public places, in both physical and online settings.

Anyone who believes they have a direct and substantial interest in the subject matter of this hearing, as outlined in Practice Guideline 6, is able to make an application for leave to appear by 5pm on Monday, 3 October 2022.