Redfern Legal Centre say new data they obtained through freedom of information laws show that in two years, between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2025, NSW police strip searched 167 children under the age of 18.
In a media statement, they say, ‘This included two 12-year-olds and nine 13-year-olds’.
’68 strip searches were conducted in the field and 31 in police custody.
‘These revelations follow a report published last year by Redfern Legal Centre that showed over a thousand children aged 10 to 17 have been strip-searched by NSW Police during a seven-year period, from June 2016 to July 2023.
Class action
‘The recent landmark class action judgment against NSW Police regarding strip searches at music festivals found that the NSW Police Force failed to ensure police officers were properly trained, skilled, and knowledgeable about strip search laws to prevent unlawful strip searches.
‘Redfern Legal Centre is calling on the NSW Government to reform the law to ban the strip searching of children unless a court order is obtained.
‘This model is already operating in the Australian Capital Territory.
Supervising solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, Samantha Lee says, ‘We must put an end to children being subjected to this horrendous practice.’
‘The only way to ensure meaningful change that will protect children is to clearly state in the legislation that police cannot strip-search minors.
‘We have a workable legal model in the ACT that prevents the strip-searching of children unless a court order has been obtained,’ Samantha adds.
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