Ms Finn was drinking with friends in a student bar in Camperdown on July 14,1993,in the hours before she was assaulted. About 11.45pm a male friend she had known for 18 months arrived.
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In a statement to police three days later,seen byThe Sydney Morning Herald,Ms Finn said she and the man began holding hands and kissing. She recalled being “very intoxicated” after about nine or 10 drinks.
Later,when the two walked back to the man’s nearby flat,they began kissing again. In her statement,Ms Finn said she told the man did not want to have sex “because I don’t feel comfortable.”
She said the man repeatedly penetrated her,despite her protestations. “He wasn’t making any reply at all when I kept saying this,he just kept trying to force himself onto me to have sex.”
She told police in her 1993 statement that “it hurt a great deal,” and that she started to cry because she was scared.
“I said[to him],‘I told you I didn’t want to have sex with you and you tried to penetrate me without my consent.’ ”
When Ms Finn arrived home,she called the Rape Crisis Centre at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The next day,she disclosed the event to a close friend and the following day,to police.
Ms Finn underwent a medical examination that found evidence of abrasion,but no DNA of the accused could be identified.
She told theHeraldshe believed her experience was “a pretty common story”.
“Beyond reasonable doubt is very hard to establish,” she added.
Three weeks ago Ms Finn contacted consent activist Chanel Contos,whosepetition for earlier sex education in schools revealedthousands of testimonies from former Sydney schoolgirls about sexual assaults at the hands of their male peers.
Ms Finn said she wanted to add her voice to the chorus and to commend Ms Contos for sparking a movement.
“I was very disappointed to see things haven’t changed in a generation. We do need better education about consent and the consequences for not giving consent.”
Ms Finn recently met with NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman about the state government’s long-awaited response to the NSW Law Reform Commission’s review of sexual consent laws,encouraging him to legislate the need to obtain “enthusiastic” consent.
Earlier this month Mr Speakman defended the time it has taken to respond to the review,but acknowledged that people were “screaming for law reform” and cultural change.
Lifeline 13 11 14;Mensline 1300 789 978;Kids Helpline1800 551 800;beyondblue 1300 224 636;Domestic Violence Line1800 65 64 63;1800-RESPECT1800 737 732
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