The Psychological Burden on Canberra's Justice System Workers
Australian courtrooms have been described as "clearinghouses for human misery" in recent academic research, where workers are routinely exposed to "tales of calamity, depravity and exploitation." This stark characterisation helps explain why the ACT's prosecuting office dissolved its specialist sexual and family violence teams in 2025, citing unacceptable psychological risks to staff members.
A Court Reporter's Personal Encounter with Trauma
After nearly three years covering Canberra's courts, one reporter can pinpoint the specific case that forced a full appreciation of the challenges facing those working within the criminal justice system. This particular matter involved a 39-year-old former public servant who pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including incest and using a child to produce exploitation material.
The father admitted filming and photographing himself sexually abusing his daughter nearly 100 times when she was approximately two years old. His son, who was almost four at the time, appeared in the background of one image. Justice David Mossop described the young children as completely at their father's mercy during months of recorded offending he characterised as "degrading and humiliating."
Investigators discovered nearly 16,000 "grave, heinous" child abuse material files on the man's devices, featuring no fewer than 800 unique victims between the ages of two months and 14 years. Some files depicted victims being tortured and forced into acts of bestiality. The offender will become eligible for parole in 2031.
The Ripple Effect of Traumatic Exposure
Court reporters routinely face questions about how they cope with the traumatic aspects of daily courtroom observation. Following the sentencing hearing for this particular case, the answer was "not particularly well." The weight of what was heard lingered for days, with detailed descriptions of the abuse material proving difficult to shake.
This experience highlighted a troubling reality: what court observers see, hear, and read represents only a fraction of the trauma experienced by those working more closely with such cases. Solicitors who compile evidence, under-resourced service workers providing direct victim support, and sheriff's officers who sit through trial after trial all face greater exposure.
Systemic Failures and Legal Precedents
In 2022, Victoria's Office of Public Prosecutions was ordered to pay a former prosecutor $435,000 in damages after the High Court upheld a finding that the office had failed to protect the employee from harmful exposure to traumatic material. This landmark case established important legal precedents regarding workplace safety in justice system roles.
Judges themselves are not immune from these psychological risks. Justice Mossop viewed a sample of the child abuse material files before sentencing the offender. Chief Justice Lucy McCallum addressed the "vexed question" of whether sentencing judges must view such samples during another child abuse material case in October last year.
"There is also something to be said for minimising the extent of the vicarious trauma that is known to be a risk for all persons involved in the prosecuting process," Chief Justice McCallum noted. She revealed she had been "spared" from viewing that particular offender's files, which had been properly described in detail instead.
The Frontline Workers Facing Daily Trauma
Not spared from viewing traumatic material multiple times are police officers, particularly members of the territory's Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team (SACAT). These professionals face the unenviable task of watching and classifying child abuse material to assist in sentencing those who create, possess, and share it.
An ACT Policing spokesperson noted that courts nowadays generally do not require classification of every single abuse image or video. Those who inspect such files undergo regular psychological assessment, mandatory training around exposure to abuse material, and strict viewing-time limits.
Activities "away from computer," including puzzles and ping pong, help officers shift their focus during viewing periods. The Australian Federal Police is regularly considering artificial intelligence tools that could assist in image classification, potentially further safeguarding officers from this difficult investigative work.
Historical Context and Ongoing Challenges
A 2016 Victoria Police mental health review revealed harrowing accounts from members exposed to more material than is typically necessary today. Such exposure had contributed to permanent psychological scarring, with one member describing unravelling at work after watching hundreds of videos, while another reported the material came "rushing back" when returning home to their children.
The decade-old Victorian review made several recommendations, including opt-out provisions from child sexual abuse investigation teams. In the ACT, there is no set time period for SACAT assignments, and alternate work options are provided when members decide to cease this challenging work.
This systemic issue affects numerous professionals across Canberra's justice system, from police officers and prosecutors to judges and support staff. The psychological toll of delivering justice in cases involving extreme trauma represents a hidden cost that requires ongoing attention, better support systems, and continued innovation in protective measures for those serving on the frontlines of Australia's legal system.
