For the Wagga local government area, in the 12 months to March 2020, there were 71 incidents of sexual assault. This jumped to 110 in the 12 months to March 2021.

Sexual assault reports in regional NSW overall increased by 48 per cent, which is lower than Sydney which went up by 68 per cent.

BOCSAR said victims aged 13 to 20 years accounted for two thirds of the increase statewide and the vast majority involved female victims.

Executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said the spike in reported sexual assault incidents was remarkable and preliminary April data suggests reports have since come back down.

"Typically only around 10 per cent or 15 per cent of adult sexual assault victims report to police," she said.

"The March 2021 increase shows that, under the right conditions, more victims will come forward.

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"More now needs to be done to make sure that victims who reach out are appropriately supported."

Riverina Police District Superintendent Bob Noble said that it was a similar pattern which occurred in the wake of the Me Too movement.

He said reports of sexual assaults rose then, adding that it was likely happening now as a result of what was being discussed on the national stage.

"I think you have to say that's somewhat a good thing, if there is an awareness and/or people feeling more empowered to report things to police," Superintendent Noble said.

No one wants to see numbers of sexual assaults rising but if what it is doing is revealing a latent problem then we have to take that as a win.

"We can't investigate these matters if we don't know about them. We can't put people before the court or seek some other form of redress for the victim if they don't come forward."

Superintendent Noble said when someone comes forward, the first priority is making sure that person has access to support services.

"Our investigators here in the first instance, unless it's an emergency, will seek to have a person undergo expert counselling," he said.

"Those counsellors in the Riverina are wonderful, they are extremely well trained and very sensitive to the needs of victims.

"That counselling we find often allows the victim to make informed decisions about exactly how they want to progress that matter if at all."

Superintendent Noble said that any assault of any person is unacceptable.

"Sexual violence is a scourge that creates untold damage that can last for the rest of their life," he said.

"Police will take any such reports seriously.

"No one should stand by and condone it. Certainly no one should engage in it and if anyone is aware of it they should let us know."

Director of the Wagga Women's Health Centre Michele Saffery said the multiple campaigns, including the March 4 Justice, did an incredible job at raising awareness.

"Women from all different areas of life came together. They felt angry and they wanted their voice and expression of anger to count and make a difference," she said.

"There is an increased level of information and understanding around sexual violence which is positive.

"But we are concerned about this issue in our community."

Ms Saffery said that sometimes however there is a risk that the issue of sexual violence could fall by the wayside as it is grouped with women's issues overall.

She said that it needs to be kept visible, and that responsibility falls on both organisations and the wider community.

How someone responds to another person disclosing what has happened to them drastically impacts the healing journey, Ms Saffery said.

"We have to figure out how to maintain the momentum," she said.

"We need systems changed to be the driver to better support people in coming forward and we need the collaboration of services who are engaged in responding.

"There is a also community responsibility we have to being responsive and caring and kind to anybody who makes those disclosures."

Ms Saffery said she wants to see more work done to promote the types of services available and how people can access them should they need.

She encouraged anyone in need of help to reach out.

"If you have been sexually assaulted now or in the past and need support, reach out to someone you know and trust," she said.

"Know that there are services that can help like the Women's Health Centre, police or NSW Health Sexual Assault Service.

"If you hear someone disclose the experience of sexual assault tell them you believe them, tell them it is not their fault and help them to access the services that can provide safety and care."

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