New sexual consent laws come into force: Here's what you need to know

One Australian state has introduced new sexual consent laws, which now includes defining the act of 'stealthing' as rape and tougher sentences for offenders .

Queensland 's revised laws came into force on Monday, which aim to improve 'the experience' of victims of sexual offences when they're ready to make the brave decision to come forward and file a complaint.

Among the reforms is that the act of 'stealthing' is now a criminal offence - which can result in a maximum sentence of life behind bars, Yahoo reported.

'Stealthing' is when a sexual partner secretly removes a condom during sex without the knowledge and consent of the other party involved.

The recognition of stealthing as rape brings Queensland in line with most other Aussie states and territories, including Victoria, the ACT, South Australia , Tasmania and NSW .

The official definition of consent has also been revised as part of the changes.

It was previously defined as 'being freely and voluntarily given by a person with the cognitive capacity to give it.'

But now the word 'given' has been replaced with 'agreed'.

Queensland health and women's minister Shannon Fentiman earlier told media the state is committed to holding sexual offenders to account.

'We know that non-physical violence is just as dangerous as physical violence,' she said.

'Coercive control is also the biggest predicting factor for intimate partner homicide. That's why we have taken strong steps to make coercive control an offence in Queensland.

'Reforms to consent laws aim to improve the experience of victims of sexual offences when they make the brave decision to come forward and hold their perpetrators to account.'

Ms Fentiman also weighed in on the new stealthing reforms.

'It is rape, and it should be treated as such under the law,' she said.

The Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce's final Hear Her Voice report recommended 188 law reforms, including an overhaul of consent laws.

The new bill was developed in consultation with many stakeholders, including sexual violence bodies.

The Queensland government will spend $225million implementing the recommendations, including major IT upgrade in 81 courts across the state to help with victim testimony.

The 24-hour sexual assault response team in Townsville will been extended and expanded to two more locations.

The reform were introduced after Queensland, along with NSW, saw the sharpest rise of sexual assault victims recorded in 2023 , according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Queensland had a 14 per cent yearly increase to 1,011 victims, while NSW sexual assault victims rose by 19 per cent to 2,296.

Nationwide, there was an astonishing 35,138 victims.

Women represented 84 per cent - or 30,466 - of victims nationwide.

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