Western Australia has moved to ban character references during sentencing, a change prompted by the recent Western Power scandal.

Press PLAY to hear Alison Evans discuss the ban on character references

Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing chief executive Dr Alison Evans told 6PR Mornings host Simon Beaumont that the incident – in which Western Power employees were stood down after submitting character references for Jeffrey Spinner, 59, who was convicted of raping a colleague – had shed light on harmful stereotypes about who had a propensity to use sexual violence.

“People can present as very well-respected or well-connected in their communities while causing significant harm”, Evans said.

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