We know it can be difficult to reach out. Our role is to provide a safe and supportive service that helps people feel heard, understood, and connected to the support they need.
If you have been recently sexually assaulted, SWCASA offers a 24-hour crisis care service to provide immediate support.
We also provide secondary consultations for professionals, agencies, and community members who have questions or would like guidance. These consultations can be anonymous and de-identified.
SWCASA supports people across Warrnambool, Portland, Camperdown, and surrounding areas.
Location:
Warrnambool Community Health
Koroit Street
Warrnambool 3280
You can contact the Centre Against Sexual Assault
Business Hours – (03) 5564 4144 between 8.30am – 5pm
After Hours – phone the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis Line on 1800 806 292 between 5.00pm – 8.30am.
We provide counselling sessions at:
SWCASA is a free and inclusive service which supports non-offending people of all ages, abilities, cultures, sexualities, genders and spiritual beliefs.
Adults do not have to report their experience to police to access counselling and advocacy at SWCASA.
There is no time limit expiry, victim-survivors can access support years after their experience of sexual assault.
SWCASA also provide a specialised trauma-informed service that supports young people under 18 years who exhibit or engage in harmful sexual behaviours.
SWCASA provides counselling and support to adult and children victim-survivors of family violence who are safe, stable and focused on therapeutic recovery.
SWCASA will uphold the rights of clients to have confidentiality, privacy and control over decision making. Clients will be treated with dignity and respect. The rights and responsibilities of clients will be acknowledged and SWCASA will promote these rights and responsibilities of all clients who access counselling and support services.
Your confidentiality will be maintained in accordance with our confidentiality and acknowledgement procedure.
At SWCASA, we adhere and respect the rights of all clients including children and young people. Although involvement of the parent/guardian is seen as desirable and encouraged, the best interests of the child or young person should include listening to and hearing their view. Children and young people have the right to privacy of their information and to make their own decisions regarding their privacy where they are assessed as competent to do so.
Sexual assault is a broad term that captures any sexual act or attempt to engage in a sexual act where consent is not obtained or freely and voluntarily given.
Sexual assault does not always involve physical harm or touching, for example forcing someone to watch pornography or sharing non-consensual intimate images. It could also include:
Family violence is any threatening, coercive, dominating or abusive behaviour that occurs between people in a family, domestic or intimate relationship, or former intimate relationship, that causes the person experiencing the behaviour to feel fear. It could also include:
We welcome feedback and take concerns seriously. Your feedback helps us improve our services and make sure people feel safe, heard, and supported.
You can choose to provide feedback anonymously. Please note that if you do not include your contact details, we won’t be able to get back to you directly. Where possible, we aim to respond to feedback and resolve concerns within 30 days.
Provide feedback or make a complaint:
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.
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).