The Offence of Possessing, Producing or Disseminating Bestiality or Animal Crush Material in NSW
A “crush fetish” is a paraphyllia in which sexual arousal is associated with observing objects being crushed or being crushed oneself. A disturbing sub-variant of this fetish, known as “animal crush” involves sexual gratification derived from seeing the injurious or...
Can Consensual Choking for Sexual Pleasure Amount to a Criminal Offence in NSW?
Sexual choking is an increasingly common “kink” involving the squeezing of a partner’s neck during sexual activity. This activity carries the risk of harming or even causing the death of the person upon whom the force is applied, especially if...
How Can I Open a Strip Club in New South Wales
Strip clubs are a form of adult entertainment where patrons from a diverse range of backgrounds and occupations, from politicians to tradespeople to business owners, can relax, unwind and take their minds of the stresses of their lives. But what...
Reducing Crime Rates: Prevention is Preferable to Punishment
Australian criminal justice policies are frequently out of step with international evidence on what keeps communities safe. Each year, new laws are passed to “tackle crime” which are either ineffective or cause several unintended, harmful, consequences. Why is criminal justice...
Forensic Experts: Error, Bias, Incompetence and Criminality
The forensic ‘expert’ that supposedly melds cutting-edge science to assist in criminal investigations is often romanticised in popular culture. But the reality is that forensic scientists are human and make honest mistakes, can be biased towards those who pay...
Pornography Laws in Australia
The Federal government has recently released a report into Australia’s national classification regulation, which is likely to have a significant impact on the laws regarding pornography across the nation. Australian laws relating to sexually explicit content depicting consenting adults are...
Should it be a Crime to Perform the Nazi Salute in Public?
In response to appalling conduct of neo-Nazis at a recent rally in Melbourne, the Victoria government has moved to criminalise the display of the Nazi salute in public - with a view to making it clear that a gesture under which...
Does ‘Gender Deception’ Invalidate Sexual Consent in New South Wales?
Between the years of 2012 and 2017, a string of cases in the United Kingdom involved determinations regarding whether a complainant could assert they did not lawfully consent to sexual activity as they were deceived into believing the other participant...
Character References Must Disclose Knowledge of Offences
Character references are normally handed-up to a court during the sentencing hearing; which is when the court decides the penalty that will be imposed on a defendant. These references are an important way to show the defendant has accepted responsibility...
Bizarre Australian Criminal Cases: The Simpsons Porn Case
There are many bizarre cases that form part of Australian legal history, but perhaps none more vexing when it comes to balancing the often competing considerations of free speech on the one hand, and protecting the innocent on the other,...
