A sexual assault victim has mounted a campaign to stop voluntary assisted dying in prison, feeling "robbed" her perpetrator died on his terms.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was permitted to die voluntarily because of a terminal cancer diagnosis, becoming the first prisoner in NSW to access the system.
He was seven years into a 30-year prison term with a non-parole period of 20 years for a string of sex crimes.
A victim - the man's daughter - revealed the pain the decision to grant him "the easy way out" had brought her and other victims.
"I will have to live my entire life playing with the effects of his abuse ... I and other victims feel robbed that he did not serve out his natural life in prison," she posted online.
"He was given the easy way out, the comfortable way out … he deserved to live out his natural life in prison, if that meant cancer was going to kill him two weeks later anyway, so be it."
The woman's name cannot be publicised because of a 2018 District Court suppression order, which also shields the offender.
The victim on Thursday launched a public fundraiser to seek compensation for victims and law changes to stop "other criminals signing up to take the easy way out instead of serving their sentence".
"Other criminals are signing up to take the easy way out instead of serving their sentence. PLEASE HELP ME STOP THIS!!!" she posted online.
The woman would also like victims to be informed when a perpetrator applies to access voluntary assisted dying.
She said she found out about the death via media reports.
In NSW, a person living with a terminal disease has their case dealt with by the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Board, which comprises legal and medical practitioners chosen by the government.
Premier Chris Minns did not suggest any legislative changes as a result of the victim's plea.
"In relation to that decision for him to have voluntary assisted dying, to effectively suicide via NSW Justice health system - I'm not proposing to change the system," he said.
Greens MP Sue Higginson said she would not support any moves to change the laws, because the prison system was "about justice, not revenge".
"People who are imprisoned, even for terrible crimes, do not deserve to be tortured and must be treated with dignity and respect ... this is a matter of law and humanity," she told AAP.
"In NSW, the law recognises a person's right to die under certain circumstances, and when they are confronted with a terminal illness ... it's critical that this compassion is extended to people living in prison."
A report by Go Gentle Australia released in 2024 found 3200 people across Australia and New Zealand had accessed voluntary assisted dying since 2019.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
