Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is Australian True Crime with Michelle Laurie. Some of our most memorable episodes have come about because listeners sent us their stories. Today's guest did just that. Her name is Sarah Lavis, and she woke up one night to the worst nightmare imaginable. She joins us to talk about it. This is Australian True Crime.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast is created, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. And a warning, this episode of the podcast contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. Sarah, I wanted to start with reading out the email that you sent us. And I'll tell you why.
Because it's the shortest and most impactful email I think I've ever received. It's like, it's so short. And yet, by the end of it, you're like, whoa, that is... full on.
Chapter 2: What personal experience does Sarah Lavis share about her attack?
Hi, Michelle. Listening to your recent podcast, I found it interesting about the two camps of the courtroom being more victim-centric versus not. So we talk about that a lot, obviously. You've noticed. You've picked up on that. Because a lot of victims, victims' families say it's all about the offender.
And Charlie Bazzina, our lovely friend, former homicide detective, says he wishes that there were photos of the victims in the court so everyone could remember who it's really about. So that's the sort of, they're the conversations we've been having. Lex Lasry, our former high court judge, says that's ridiculous. It should never happen. So, yeah, there's some pretty strong views.
But you said, I thought I might have a unique perspective as someone who survived a stranger, stalker, rape and strangulation. As a victim, I wanted the court to be focused on the crime, the perpetrator and the evidence. I did not want the spotlight to be put on emotional aspects.
I do understand that as a family member that has lost a loved one, they are solely focused on their person and getting justice. I believe having a picture of the victim could increase the emotion of loved ones and possibly be more distracting to the court.
I also think as victims and family members, I found the hardest and most confusing part of court to be around guilty pleas and downgraded charges. Yes, agreed. I wish true crime would put some explanation and focus on this to help people understand why sentencing is often so low.
And then you add this, I also had a cousin killed in a headbutt incident that left our family shocked and confused about the court process. So as I say, such a short to the point email, but what massive.
I know a little bit controversial to what a lot of people think about the courtroom being more victim focused. I think I fall into the category of that makes me concerned that then are we moving into who's the perfect victim?
Oh.
Like when you're starting to put photos there and you're starting to, like I know with your family member, you're always putting forward they were, you know, in the prime of their life, they were this and that, but then don't we want justice also for the, you know, the sex worker that's addicted to drugs on the street? I want her to get the same justice that I get.
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Chapter 3: How does Sarah Lavis view the focus of the courtroom on victims?
And so there was no broken end to that key was taken.
Where did it go missing from?
From inside my home.
Where were you living?
Where was this? In Albury. Okay. Yep. Yep. So I'd been out and I'd come home. I think it was like two o'clock in the morning. My friends had brought me home and then we'd sat up and then they'd left and I went to bed. So it was probably about three, three 30 in the morning. And I got up to go to the toilet and he was standing in my doorway. Yeah. Everyone's nightmare.
And of course, being so naive, I was just like, I think you've got the wrong house. Like, you know, trying to think, oh, he's a bit drunk, like try and get him out because I could see the back door was wide open and try and, and that's when it turned really violent. Yeah.
Yeah.
obviously he hadn't walked into the wrong home no had he been in there do you think or like while your friends and that were there or had he come i don't think so i don't think so so yeah i remember it was like obviously the rape was pretty violent and then um It's a bit blurry sometimes because I got hit in the head, like I do.
I remember getting strangled and waking up, but then he left, but he came back. And then when he seen I was still there and had come round, that's when he said, like, if you go to the police, if you tell anyone, I will come back and kill you. So I'm not sure if he thought that I was gone and that's why he came back. Yeah, obviously I was going to call the police straight away. Yeah.
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Chapter 4: What challenges do victims face in understanding court processes?
Right. Because I was just thinking if heaven forbid you get a detail wrong, then they're going to say, oh, well, her memory, she can't remember it. So everything you've put in retrospectively, they'd want Exactly.
And that's how it works. So they come to you and they say, this is what he's been charged with, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault. And when it falls under aggravated, it encompasses all charges.
Okay.
But then they start negotiating with you. And so I'm at work on the phone, the DPP is calling me, he's negotiating on the other end with his lawyer and they'll say, okay, we'll plead guilty, but only to these charges. So everything gets downgraded. So this is how, like, when you look at sentencing and you think, how did they get such a low sentence for this?
I didn't understand until then that they will come and say, okay, I'm not going to plead guilty, but I'll plead guilty for these charges.
Yeah.
So less charges. So that's less jail time and all of that stuff. So in the interest of the rest of us, like I don't want your rapist back out in the streets anywhere near where I live or any other woman lives, you know. So then what's the reason for that? Are they also saying to you, oh, because we might lose if we go to court on these higher charges? Like what's the benefit?
No, the evidence was there. Yeah.
So what's the benefit to you and to the rest of us if he gets his charges downgraded? And even in my letter that the DPP sent me, there's a full sentence that I have highlighted from the DPP saying how beneficial it would be for me emotionally to not go to trial and take... Yeah, take this plea.
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