WA's tough burglary laws come into force

Tough new laws for violent home invasions have come into force in Western Australia.

From Sunday, a burglar who rapes a home occupant faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars, while a person who breaks into a house and indecently assaults someone will be jailed for at least five years and three months.

A burglar who physically assaults the occupant, causing serious harm, will be imprisoned for a minimum for seven years and six months.

The three strikes rule has also been tightened to stop offenders being able to have their crimes bundled together as one strike.

Under the new laws, which are the toughest in Australia, if an offender has committed three burglaries on three separate days, that is three strikes and they're going to jail, Police Minister Liza Harvey said.

The new laws were the first pledge of the Liberals in their 2013 election campaign.