You can contact the Centre Against Sexual Assault
Business Hours – (03) 5564 4144 between 8.30am – 5pm to speak with the Duty Worker/ your counsellor
After Hours – phone the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis Line on 1800 806 292 between 5.00pm – 8.30am.
We provide counselling sessions at –
Business Hours – phone (03) 5564 4144 between 8.30am and 5.00pm and ask to speak with the Duty Worker. The Duty Worker will complete a referral form with the information you provide and arrange to have further conversation with the person being referred, or their parent/carer if the referral is for a child or younger adolescent.
Referral letters can be mailed to the South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault (SWCASA), c/- South West Healthcare, Ryot St. Warrnambool and we will follow-up with the person being referred, or their parent/carer if the referral is for a child or younger adolescent.
Child Protection Services & agencies that provide foster care services for children and adolescents will be provided with a referral form to complete and fax back on (03) 5561 5116.
South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault Services:
Crisis Care
A 24 hour response following a recent sexual assault or the first time a child or adolescent has told of a sexual assault against them. Crisis responses may involve medical services &/or Police if the client/parent wishes this to occur. Police must be involved if a forensic examination is wanted by the client.
Individual Counselling, Support & Advocacy
For adults, adolescents & children who have experienced sexual assault &/or family violence and their non-offending partners, parents or carers.
For adults who have experienced sexual abuse within an institution, including counselling under the Federal Redress Scheme.
Group Counselling
For adults & adolescents who have experienced sexual assault &/or family violence and their non-offending partners, parents or carers.
Some groups are delivered as part of a family violence therapeutic healing & recovery partnership program with other local agencies.
Assessment & treatment for children & adolescents with sexually harmful behaviours
For children & adolescents up to 17 years of age who have engaged in sexually harmful behaviours.
You do not need to bring anything in particular to an appointment.
We encourage you to bring a support person of your choice if you would like. A support person may be a family member, a trusted friend or a professional from another service.
Your Counsellor will take time to make sure that you are feeling settled enough to finish the session before you leave.
We recommend that you discuss the plans you have for the rest of the day with your Counsellor, as a routine and having some activities planned is usually helpful.
Contact your Counsellor (03) 5561 1444 if you become distressed, concerned or worried after an appointment.
Sexual assault is an act of a sexual nature that is unwanted or intimidating; ranging from sexual harassment, being forced to watch pornography, coerced sexual activity or sexual assault by force. It is a very personal crime, and the impacts on the victims and their family and friends can be felt at many levels. Sexual assault is a violation of basic human rights and therefore is a crime against the individual and society.
Consent for any sexual activity depends on a person’s ability to understand what the sexual act is, the implications of the sexual behaviour, and their ability to make an informed choice, without force, or coercion. Sexual assault occurs when someone commits a sexual act with or towards another person without their consent. Children do not have the ability to consent to any sexual act. A person cannot consent to sexual activity if they are under the influence of alcohol, drugs and in some cases prescribed medication that impairs thinking and awareness.
A common perception is that most sexual assaults are committed by strangers in streets or parks. The majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated by someone known to the victim survivor and occur in places that are familiar or that seem non-threatening. These can be either in a private or public setting where people such as families, friends, colleagues and other groups of people considered non-threatening gather.
CASA takes confidentiality very seriously. At your first session, your Counsellor will explain in detail your rights to confidentiality and how we look after your information. This includes sensitive information such as your gender identity, sexual orientation and/or intersex status. Confidentiality does have its legal requirements and limitations and Counsellors are required to report suspected child abuse and neglect and if there is a significant risk of harm to yourself or someone else.
Child sex offenders keep children silent by making them feel responsible for the sexual abuse. Depending on the types of tricks or threats used to silence a child, the child may be feeling:
Show your care and concern:
How we respond to children telling us about sexual abuse can be an important factor in how much they are affected by the abuse in the long term. The following actions by adults are known to be helpful for children in these situations:
Do:
Examples of how people may tell you about family violence without completely telling you (“he” used in examples but family violence is not limited to males).
The most important thing you can do is to listen without judging, respect her decisions, and help her to find ways to become stronger and safer (“her” used in examples).