The trauma experienced in police strip searches is akin to that suffered during sexual assaults, an inquest into drug-related deaths at music festivals has been told.
A harm reduction campaigner and a criminologist on Friday told a NSW coroner the experience of being ordered to undress in front of police and accused of concealing drugs can cause long-lasting mental effects.
The harm occurred regardless of whether the people were concealing or not, researcher Peta Malins said.
"They talk about how huge the effect can be emotionally, the anxiety, the fear, increased heart rate, sweaty palms, shaking and nervousness," the RMIT criminology lecturer told the inquest.
"They talk about how hard it was to answer the questions of the police."
The inquest is examining six recent MDMA-related deaths at music festivals and issues around drugs, medical care at events and policing.
Dr Malins, who published an academic paper based on interviews with 22 people who'd been searched by police, said being stopped and searched was already traumatic.
But those strip-searched found it "particularly dehumanising" to be ordered to undress completely and display openings to cavities, she said.
"There was an overwhelming sense of powerlessness ... a feeling as though they had been intruded upon," she said.
"In one particular interview, the woman said the trauma triggered past experiences of sexual and physical abuse that she'd experienced."
Will Tregoning, the founder of harm reduction organisation Unharm, said he'd also spoken to people who likened their strip searching to sexual assault.
"It's traumatic," he said
"My concern is it additionally trains people to not trust police."
Joshua's parents John and Julie Tam speak to media outside The Coroner's Court of New South Wales during inquest hearings. Source: AAP
Mr Tregoning said most police officers were pragmatic and held a very strong sense of social service.
But he said the drug searches could create a climate of fear and further barriers between young people and police trying to keep them safe.
The Coroners Court was told on Thursday police had been directed to reveal their strip search protocols and an internal report on officers' use and understanding of those guidelines.
Alex Ross-King, Nathan Tran, Diana Nguyen, Joseph Pham, Joshua Tam and Callum Brosnan all died after consuming MDMA at NSW music festivals between December 2017 and January 2019.
