Festival reveller, 25, reveals a police officer ordered her to flash her bare breasts and peered at her crotch during an invasive strip search at Lost Paradise
- Becca was told to 'squat and cough' at Lost Paradise music festival in 2017
- The strip search was 'traumatising' and left her with a distrust of police officers
- Slater and Gordon has launched a class action against New South Wales Police
- They are urging anybody who has been strip searched to contact them here
- Have you been unfairly strip searched? Email: brittany.chain@mailonline.com
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Becca (pictured on Wednesday) was strip searched at a music festival
A woman who was the subject of a 'traumatising' strip search at a music festival claims she felt dehumanised and too scared to question police authority during the ordeal.
Becca had just arrived at the 2017 Lost Paradise music festival when she was intercepted by officers, who told her she would need to be strip searched before she could head inside.
The then 22-year-old had no idea just what the process would entail, and revealed on Wednesday she was horrified when she was told to 'drop, squat and cough'.
The British expat - who had freshly arrived in Australia - explained she was menstruating and wasn't wearing a bra, but the female officer in charge told her she wouldn't be allowed inside the festival unless she complied.
Becca noticed three male officers could see right into the van and raised the issue with the female officer, who said 'we'll just do it quickly' in response to her concerns.
Having spent good money on a ticket and not completely aware of her legal rights in Australia, she did what they asked, but said she felt 'extremely violated' in the process.
During a joint press conference with Slater and Gordon lawyers on Wednesday, Becca explained how the officer 'looked underneath me while I had a tampon in.
She has attended a couple of festivals since Lost Paradise, but said every time she is met with anxious thoughts and doubts. 'Its not exactly the most welcoming experience... you're greeted with a row of police officers.' Pictured: Police officers at Splendour in the Grass in 2019
During a joint press conference with Slater and Gordon on Wednesday (pictured), Becca explained how the officer 'looked underneath me while I had a tampon in
Slater and Gordon, in conjunction with Redfern Legal Centre, are launching a class action against New South Wales Police for what they call excessive use of the 'invasive, harmful practice'
'I felt extremely violated and cut off from my emotions,' she explained.
'It was a really sort of out-of-body experience and felt very dehumanising. I was just my body and that's it. Who I was, my emotions, everything, I just put a block on that and it was like a light in my brain was turned off.
'I really disconnected until I left and that's when all the emotions came rushing in. It was really traumatising.'
Slater and Gordon, in conjunction with Redfern Legal Centre, are launching a class action against New South Wales Police for what they call excessive use of the 'invasive, harmful practice'.
They believe thousands of people may have been targeted in unlawful strip searches throughout the state.
At present, anybody above the age of ten can legally be strip searched in NSW.
Becca explained the ordeal gave her 'extreme anxiety', and has impacted her life ever since.
Becca had just arrived at the 2017 Lost Paradise festival when she was intercepted by officers, who told her she would need to be strip searched before she could head inside
The NSW state government introduced drug amnesty bins in 2020 to encourage people to dispose of their drugs instead of consuming them
She has attended a couple of festivals since Lost Paradise, but said every time she is met with anxious thoughts and doubts.
'Every single time before entering I get extreme anxiety,' she said. 'Its not exactly the most welcoming experience... you're greeted with a row of police officers.'
'I had done nothing wrong. I felt violated, like I was just another body and not a human being.'
Becca, who still lives in Australia, has felt a sense of distrust for the police since the encounter, and no longer feels entirely safe when she sees them in public.
In fact, seeing police officers puts her on edge.
'I question what could happen to me even if I'm not doing anything wrong. I've never really felt that way before,' she said.
At present the law states a strip search should be used as a last resort.
But in Becca's case, she said officers had doubts about searching her from the outset.
Slater and Gordon fear thousands of people may have been targeted in unlawful strip searches throughout the state. Pictured: Festivalgoers at Splendour in the Grass
Drug dogs are also used at festivals to help police find people who may be carrying drugs
She was approached by a male police officer who said she would be taken to a female to conduct the search.
'He handed me over to a female police officer and said ''go easy on her, I don't think she's got anything on her''. That's when I got really scared,' she said.
The law states police must have a reasonable suspicion that the person they strip search has something illegal in their possession.
Officers must also prove the circumstances are serious and urgent enough to mandate a strip search.
Any searches outside of these parameters could potentially have been conducted illegally, and Slater and Gordon are urging anybody who has doubts to call and share their story.
The process is confidential, and the lawyers are currently just asking for a range of cases to come forward.
'He handed me over to a female police officer and said ''go easy on her, I don't think she's got anything on her''. That's when I got really scared,' she said on Wednesday
Samantha Lee, a solicitor specialising in police powers said it might be hard for victims to determine whether a strip search conducted on them was lawful, given that the legislation surrounding searches is so vague.
'NSW Police don't even know what the law is in regard to strip searches so how can someone on the ground understand the law,' she said.
'The law is vague, it fails to provide clear guidance to police and fails to provide much needed safeguards to members of the public.'
Ms Lee said the class action will look to offer victims damages for the harm they have endured and change current legislation around strip searches.
'Strip searching includes a range of behaviours. It could be a police officer looking down the top of a woman, or pulling out a man's trousers and peering into his underwear,' she said.
It doesn't necessarily have to be the complete removal of all clothing.
Anybody who feels they may have been unfairly targeted has been urged to get in contact with Slater and Gordon.
Daily Mail Australia contacted New South Wales Police, but they chose not to comment on the class action.
Samantha Lee, a solicitor specialising in police powers said it might be hard for victims to determine whether a strip search conducted on them was lawful, given the legislation is so vague
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