A 32-year-old man has been charged over an alleged sexual assault at Falls Festival at Marion Bay, Tasmania.
Tasmania Police have told reporters that the man was charged after a 19-year-old woman was assaulted in the mosh pit during Jungle Giants‘ set on Friday night. Police said that the man was placed handed over to festival security after being placed under citizen’s arrest by the woman and a friend:
The women involved, the person involved and her friend, actually apprehended the male, then handed them to security, who then handed them to police for the matter to be investigated.
According to the Mercury, a woman reported being sexually assaulted in the camping area at the festival on the Saturday, but didn’t want police to formally investigate the matter.
Senior Sergeant Darren Latham told reporters that ideally there’d be no incidents but that they were happy people were coming forward:
It is encouraging that people are taking positive action, but we of course wish that it didn’t happen at all.
In a statement, Falls Festival co-producer Paul Piticco said he was glad to see an environment where people feel confident identifying and reporting this behaviour:
These incidences have been happening at mass gatherings for years and we are encouraged by the fact that this unacceptable behaviour is being identified and people are coming forward. It takes a lot of courage and we are happy to be seeing a cultural change where victims feel comfortable to report.
Last year saw five women report sexual assaults at the Marion Bay Falls Festival.
