Crisis support is available to victim survivors who have experienced a sexual assault in the past two weeks.
This 24/7 service is provided by specialist sexual assault organisations across Victoria, in city and regional areas. You can access crisis support at all times: 24 hours a day, on every day of the year.
It is free for all victim survivors, regardless of gender, sexuality, Medicare status, ability or background.
Crisis care support includes counselling and advocacy. It can also include support to access medical care and information about your legal rights and options.
If you have experienced an assault in the last two weeks and want to access support, please call 1800 806 292.
A counsellor advocate will meet with you. They will provide a safe space to talk about what happened, if you wish. They will explain your rights and options and ask about your support needs.
They will also discuss reporting to the police. In most cases, you can decide if you want to report to police, or not. The counsellor advocate will provide you with information and help you make a decision.
Crisis support usually takes place in a hospital. CASA House provides crisis support at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Parkville. In some cases, it can be provided at our office in Melbourne city. Victim survivors of any gender can access crisis support at the Women’s.
In some cases it is possible to have a forensic medical examination in the days after a sexual assault. This is an examination of your body to gather possible DNA evidence, and document injuries. This usually happens at the crisis care unit at the Women’s, by a forensic doctor or nurse.
The forensic nurse or doctor will assess if this exam is possible for you. You do not need to have a forensic medical exam if you do not want to. If a forensic exam is possible, the counsellor advocate can provide information about this and help you decide.
Our counsellor advocates can give you information about reporting sexual assault to the police. They can also support you in making a decision about reporting.
You do not need to access Crisis Care with a CASA to report a recent sexual assault to the police, if you prefer to contact them directly.
In Victoria, Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT) respond to most reports of sexual assault. You can find more information about reporting and the contact details for your local SOCIT on the Victoria Police website.
CASA House acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work, the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their continuing connection to, and care for, land and waters. We acknowledge this land was stolen, and that sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present.