Victorian Anti-Corruption Watchdog Issues Rare Apology to Family Violence Victim Over Bungled Investigation
- IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott has publicly apologised to family violence victim Jana Katerinskaja for the watchdog’s handling of her complaints against Victoria Police.
- The apology comes after a scathing report by the Victorian Inspectorate found serious failings in both Victoria Police’s and IBAC’s handling of Katerinskaja’s matter.
- Katerinskaja’s case highlights the need for urgent reform to IBAC’s structure and governance to enable it to provide more meaningful oversight of Victoria Police.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has taken the extraordinary step of publicly apologising to a family violence victim for its handling of her complaints about Victoria Police’s response to her reports of abuse by a serving police officer. The apology is a rare instance of IBAC admitting failure in unusually candid and conciliatory language, and it serves as a sharp reminder of the struggle for accountability victims of police-perpetrated family violence often face.
Jana Katerinskaja, the victim, first reported serious incidents of family violence by her partner, a senior constable, to Victoria Police in 2018. She complained to IBAC after discovering that the police investigation was being conducted by her perpetrator’s colleagues, and that officers had leaked her plan to leave the relationship – and escape the abuse – to his colleagues and friends, putting her life and the lives of her children in danger.
A special report by the Victorian Inspectorate in 2022 found IBAC badly failed Katerinskaja when it referred her initial complaint – and a second one, made two years after the first – to Victoria Police, which allocated the investigation to a police officer in the same division as her perpetrator and the officers who were to be investigated. The report highlighted the unwillingness of police to act against their own in cases of family violence, which was effectively overlooked.
IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott expressed “deep regret” for how IBAC responded to the report, saying the organisation had adopted a “highly adversarial” approach without acknowledging its failures and the report’s “true meaning”. IBAC also made multiple “inaccurate, inappropriate or misleading assertions” about its interactions with Katerinskaja, and failed to take account of her family’s welfare.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The apology is a sign of “strong leadership and improving culture” at IBAC, but it also highlights the need for urgent reform to IBAC’s structure and governance to enable it to provide more meaningful oversight of Victoria Police. Security analysts say that the case underscores the importance of having a robust and independent oversight system in place to hold police accountable for their actions. Law enforcement insiders warn that without such a system, victims of police-perpetrated family violence will continue to face significant barriers in seeking justice.
The case also raises concerns about the broader implications for community safety and trust in institutions. Industry observers believe that the lack of accountability and transparency in the handling of Katerinskaja’s case has eroded public trust in IBAC and Victoria Police, and that reforms are necessary to restore faith in the system.
Experts say that the case is a stark reminder of the need for cultural change within law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies. It is only by acknowledging past failures and taking concrete steps to address them that these institutions can begin to rebuild trust with the communities they serve.