This page provides information for individuals affected by sexual assault and/or domestic violence.
Please select the category of information you wish to view by clicking the navigation on the left side of the page.
Please keep in mind that every situation is different. For personalised information and assistance please contact 1800RESPECT
Around Australia there are a range of emergency and crisis accommodation services available. The staff in these services can also assist with linking into other supports.
A shelter or refuge is usually a location of temporary accommodation for people fleeing domestic violence environments. It can provide short to medium term accommodation as well as assistance with finding alternative long term accommodation options. Some refuges are limited in places and can have eligibility including children or without children.
If a refuge will not suit there are services that can provide links to alternatives.
Positive aspects of refuges:They can also help with seeking assistance, such as:
Private rentals are accommodation made available through real estate agents. In some states and territories there are programs which can assist to set this up.
Positives:Public housing is a government funded accommodation program.
Positives:
Negatives:
To get more information regarding the services in your state please refer to the Services page
Centrelink can make crisis payments in some circumstances. For more information please see 'Crisis Payment' on the Centrelink website:
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/crisis.htm
Documentation will be required for example to confirm identity and circumstances in order to complete the claim. It may help to get an appointment to speak with a Centrelink Social worker during the application process.
Emergency and material aid can be obtained from a number of services. Centrelink can suggest where to find immediate assistance in the local area.
Rental assistance is a payment available from Centrelink to assist with the costs of private rental. It may be available to those receiving a government payment including Newstart Allowance or Parenting Payment. The amount of rental assistance is calculated taking into account several factors including the cost of rent, the number of dependents and the applicant's earnings.
For additional information please see 'Rental Assistance' on the Centrelink website:
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/rent_assistance.htm
Victims of crime such as sexual and physical assault may be eligible to apply for compensation to assist with recovery from the effects and impact of the crime. Each state or territory will have specific rules and guidelines.
For more information regarding financial services in your area please refer to the Services page
The laws in the states and territories are similar with some minor differences. The following information is provided as a general guide. In an emergency please contact the police on 000, or for more individualised information speak to one of our counsellors on 1800RESPECT (phone 1800 737 732).
In general, a person cannot have sexual contact of any kind without the free consent or agreement of the other person. If free consent isn't given then it is likely to be sexual assault.
The legal definition of consent may vary between states and territories however in general free consent is not deemed to be given if the individual:
If someone is unsure whether it was sexual assault they are encouraged to contact the police (000) in their state or territory, or call 1800RESPECT for more information.
Generally the law defines sexual assault as:
In general, family and domestic violence laws in different states and territories cover and offer protection from:
The law provides several different ways to seek legal protection from domestic and family violence:
Protective Orders can direct a person (the respondent) to stay away from, not threaten or assault or harass the victim of the violence (the applicant).
If they disobey (breach) the order the police have power to arrest and charge them with breaching the order (usually a criminal offence) along with any other offences. Orders can be removed or changed if individual circumstances change.
The process for applying for protection orders is different in each State and Territory and the counsellors at 1800RESPECT can provide the relevant information.
Some states have specialist courts to deal with family violence. There are also free services that can help to apply for an order.
If there are concerns about safety at court let the staff or police know. Arrangements can be made to ensure safety in and around the courthouse.
In most states and territories there are special support services linked to some hospitals which provide Crisis Care after sexual assault regardless of whether you are reporting to police or not. They are non judgemental and will help you decide the best course of action and assist you to get the medical and emotional care you need.
Make sure you are ok first.
People who have been assaulted should seek care as soon as possible, preferably within 24-72 hours of the assault. First and foremost it's important to make sure you are ok physically especially if there are injuries. It is also important, not only for collecting evidence, if you are reporting to police, but also to ensure that medications for preventing infections and pregnancy are taken as soon as possible. A delay in seeking care may hamper the effectiveness of these medications and therefore increase the risk of infections and pregnancy.
For adults affected by sexual assault reporting to the police is their own decision. Where a child has or may be harmed mandatory reporting laws require that the authorities are advised. These laws are designed to protect children.
Collecting Evidence.
Medical attention should preferably be sought without changing clothes, showering, douching, or washing. It can be hard not to clean up, of course — it's a natural human instinct to wash away all traces of a sexual assault. But being examined right away is the best way to ensure proper medical treatment. You don't have to decide whether to press charges immediately, but it keeps your options open if you don't destroy any evidence.
Immediate medical attention also helps when people decide to report the crime, providing evidence needed to prosecute the perpetrator if a criminal case is pursued. In some cases an individual who has been assaulted doesn't report it and then changes their mind later — this often happens — and having the results of a medical examination can help when they do this.
Even if an individual doesn't get examined immediately after the assault, it doesn't mean you can't get a checkup later. It's always best to see a doctor immediately after sexual assault, of course. But a person can still go to a doctor or local clinic to get checked out for STDs, pregnancy, or injuries any time after being assaulted. In some cases, doctors can even gather evidence several days after the event. Emergency contraception can be taken up to a few days after a sexual assault.
Make sure you are ok.
You should seek medical assistance even if you do not want to report the crime to the police. Accessing medical care does not mean that you have to report the assault to police or request further action. No one can make you report to the police. Doctors and support workers will respect your choices about whether to report or not.
For adults affected by domestic or family violence reporting to the police is their own decision. Where a child has or may be harmed mandatory reporting laws require that the authorities are advised. These laws are designed to protect children.
It is important to seek medical care if you have recently experienced domestic violence and are injured. If you have suffered injuries as a result of an assault consult your local General Practitioner (GP) or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department. The hospital will treat and document any injuries. It is not advisable to document your own injuries as it will be of little use as evidence in court because the court would want to hear about the injuries from an expert.
For more information regarding medical services in your area please refer to the Services page.
When making or receiving calls try not to use a shared mobile phone or home phone because the phone bill and the phone log might reveal plans to an abuser. Consider using a prepaid phone card. Consider deleting all sms and phone log details.
It is not possible to delete or clear all of the 'tracks' of online or computer activities. It may be safest to use a computer at a public library, school, community centre or internet cafe.
Consider creating an additional email account on a safer computer. Use an anonymous name and account rather than a real name. Look for free web-based email accounts and do not provide detailed personal information.
Some abusers use a victim's email and other accounts to impersonate and cause harm. Consider changing passwords frequently for any password protected accounts – online banking, voicemail, etc.
Ask government agencies about their privacy policies regarding how they protect or publish personal records. Request that courts, government, post offices and others restrict access to files to protect personal safety.
When asked by businesses, doctors, and others for your address, have a private post office box address or a safer address to give them.
Go to Google online and conduct a name search in quotation marks. This can reveal what information is available about you on the net, and also whether anyone has been misusing your identity or misrepresenting you.
It is possible to cancel/suspend a Facebook account for a short period and then re-instate it. Be wary of giving away location on Twitter/Facebook, and ensure that photos that are posted do not provide specific locations that may be traceable.
Be aware that even with a private profile on Facebook if you join a 'group' this makes your profile public.
It is illegal to have photos taken and published online without personal consent. If the photos are of an underage person it can be considered child pornography which is a serious criminal offence.
It is unhealthy for an individual to know the whereabouts of their partner every second of the day.
If you have any questions or would like more information on personal privacy, please contact our counsellors on 1800RESPECT - 1800 737 732.
The above information was adapted from 'Technology Safety Planning with Survivors: Tips to discuss if someone you know is in danger' (2005), by the Safety Net: National Safe & Strategic Technology Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (USA). See http://nnedv.org/resources/safetynetdocs.html
It is not only rural or geographically isolated health care workers that may feel isolated, often clinicians working in private practice are on their own, and have limited access to advice or debriefing.
1800RESPECT can help support all isolated workers and service providers obtain support and specialist advice to help them work with those exposed to domestic/family violence and sexual assault.
Each rural and remote community is unique. Part of the challenge for rural and isolated workers/service providers is to gain an understanding of how that particular community 'works' socially, culturally and politically in order to become effective in their practice. This means that they must build relationships based on trust with individuals, families and the community. This can take time.
Social and cultural influences in some rural and remote areas of Australia may seem to condone violence as an acceptable means to resolve conflicts or disputes. There may also be conflict between mandatory reporting of for example child abuse and cultural sensitivity in some cases – for example, some communities may prefer that the community has an opportunity to manage or contain the situation first, while the law requires health care workers to report immediately.
It is not uncommon for those who do report violence to become criticised by their families and the community, thereby increasing isolation. Issues of confidentiality in working with both victims and perpetrators are therefore, of paramount importance.
There can be practical problems with meeting legal requirements such as mandatory reporting in rural and remote areas. Because of the small populations of many rural and remote communities, a health care worker may feel under pressure not to report an episode of violence even when this is legally required of them.
The lack of anonymity in small communities can lead to a job becoming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether the health care worker chooses this or not, and whether their employer mandates this or not. Being expected to provide consultations in the local store is a good example of this. It can be difficult to refuse requests and still maintain credibility, social and sometimes family relationships within the community.
This gives rise to a range of personal, professional and ethical concerns such as loss of anonymity, loss of formality in the client–counsellor relationship, a lack of personal privacy and loss of the ability to exercise control over social contacts (Saba, 1991; Sacco, 1994). Young urban-trained workers who relocate to rural areas may find particular difficulties in applying ethical and professional skills in this more complex environment.
Isolation and lack of support can be a big challenge for those that work alone in private practice, or who are the only health professional in the organisation. Low staff numbers (in a certain profession) means that there may only be one or two staff members on shift, especially after hours, and assistance from police and other emergency services may not be readily available.
Lack of professional development opportunities and low peer support contribute to poor recruitment and retention rates of isolated health professionals (eg Clark, 1996; Watson et al., 1999).
Without supervision, mentoring or access to secondary consultation, the isolated health care worker can keep making the same mistakes with increasing levels of confidence, since they do not have colleagues to provide feedback or notice errors. They are also at risk of developing stress and vicarious trauma related health problems, compassion fatigue and burn out.
1800RESPECT can assist isolated workers by providing peer support and guidance as required.
Using Networks For Support and Mentoring
Isolated workers/service providers need to look after themselves so they do not become overwhelmed and burnt out by their work. Adequate support from employers and from peer support networks is critical to help maintain personal and professional resilience and judgement. Psychological support can be useful in the aftermath of an episode of violence.
Being Informed
Isolated workers/service providers need a clear understanding of the available options for action and knowledge of what is legally required in different situations. As well as mandatory reporting, isolated workers/service providers need to be aware of their duty of care. This means doing everything reasonable to protect the health and ensure the safety of both clients and colleagues.
Setting Up Networks For Referral
Many rural and remote health care workers do not have ready access to community services or even the police as points for referral during an episode of violence. Nonetheless, it is important that health care workers do not bear the brunt of violent episodes alone. Wherever possible, health care workers need assistance from those who have been trained to deal with violence.
Professional Supervision
Reflective practice for individuals and teams are essential for any health worker and their team to not only maintain high quality service delivery but also to maintain the well-being of workers regardless of their level of experience. It is important to not replicate/parallel the isolation of family violence dynamics.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
The availability and nature of CPD has been cited as a critical factor in job satisfaction and makes a valuable contribution to professional up-skilling and competence, and consequently to the quality and safety of patient care (Schank, 1998; Jerrell, 1983). Effective CPD can increase workplace attractiveness, professional satisfaction and retention. Benefits include enhanced coping, greater opportunities for existing workers to serve as educators and mentors, 'time out' for isolated practitioners and facilitating association with and support from other health workers and education and training organisations.
Maintaining workplace skills is most difficult in isolated circumstances where staff fulfil multiple roles and lack of confidence can increase workplace stress and trigger a desire to leave. Access to CPD can reduce staff turnover in addition to maintaining ethical and competent practice and the well-being of workers.
Intervening when sexual assault, family or domestic violence occurs can be dangerous. Calling the police or 000 can be the best support, and can save lives.
At 1800RESPECT we can provide support and information to family, friends and professionals who are concerned about someone who is or has experienced sexual assault, family or domestic violence.
Supporting someone in an abusive situation can be distressing. 1800RESPECT assists supporters to manage their own responses to having someone they care about experience violence as well as working with the supporter to identify strategies to help the person they are ringing about.
To speak to someone and get more information about supporting someone who is or has experienced sexual assault or domestic/family violence call 1800RESPECT.