Photo Credit: Alex
In an emergency, always call 000.
One in three women experience physical violence or sexual assault, and almost every week in Australia a woman is killed by her former or current partner. Of every three reported cases of domestic violence in Australia, two have female victims. The rate is higher for reported cases of sexual assault.
At Clarity Road, we have compiled a list of Australian domestic violence and sexual assault resources that you can access in times of need.
Lifeline provides 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14. Online crisis support chat is also available from 8pm every night (AEST). Visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp.
1800 Respect operates a national counselling helpline, with information and support 24/7. If you are experiencing sexual assault or domestic and family violence, or if you are seeking to support someone who is, they can call. Call 1800 737 732.
Bravehearts key purpose is to educate, empower and protect Australian kids from sexual assault. They provide school-based prevention programs as well as training, counselling, support and advocacy for survivors.
The Line is a website for young people to talk about relationships, gender, sex, bystander action, technology and communication. They focus on how to keep behaviours healthy and respectful, and avoid crossing the line that makes someone feel frightened, intimidated or diminished.
Adults Surviving Child Abuse works to improve the lives of Australian adults who have experienced childhood trauma and abuse. It helps adults who have experienced trauma in childhood recover. This includes people who have experienced child abuse in all its forms, neglect, domestic violence in childhood and other adverse childhood events.
Domestic Violence Resource Centre is an American website with a number of free resources and advice for victims of domestic violence.
Another Closet provides a response to the issues surrounding same sex domestic violence. It has representatives from many fields of expertise working to provide services to respond to domestic violence. From police to health care workers, community organisations to private practitioners, each member is committed to creating awareness of domestic violence in LGBTIQ relationships to the wider community and working towards the provision of adequate services for people experiencing this violence.
Same Sex Domestic Abuse Group: advocates and educates on same-sex relationship violence and abuse.
ACT Services
Forensic & Medical Sexual Assault Care is located at the Canberra Sexual Health Centre at Canberra Hospital. Phone (02) 6244 2185 or call the Canberra Hospital switchboard on (02) 6244 2222. A doctor and a nurse are on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for cases of recent sexual assault and you may have the choice of a male or female doctor. They provide forensic examination and medical care following sexual assault and referrals for sexual assault counselling.
Canberra Rape Crisis Centre: provides crisis support and advocacy for women in Canberra who have experienced rape and sexual assault.
Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault provides crisis support and advocacy for men in Canberra who have experienced rape and sexual assault.
Domestic Violence Crisis Service supports all people affected by domestic/family violence. This includes people who are subjected to violence and abuse and people who use violence and abuse.
Forensic & Medical Sexual Assault Care is located at the Canberra Sexual Health Centre at Canberra Hospital. Phone (02) 6244 2185 or call the Canberra Hospital switchboard on (02) 6244 2222. A doctor and a nurse are on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for cases of recent sexual assault and you may have the choice of a male or female doctor. They provide forensic examination and medical care following sexual assault and referrals for sexual assault counselling.
Northern Territory Services
Darwin Aboriginal & Islander Women’s Shelter provides safe and culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are homeless or escaping family violence. The services provided include support, referral, outreach and domestic violence crisis accommodation. The service is available 24/7.
Alice Springs Women’s Shelter is a safe place for women and children with friendly staff on site 24 hours a day to have a cuppa with if you feel you need to talk or are feeling worried about your or someone else’s safety. It provides a safe place to stay for women and children wanting to leave the threat of domestic or family violence.
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council Domestic and Family Violence Service
Creative Spirits supplies indigenous-specific statistics and information on violence within the community.
Dawn House provides services to women and children escaping domestic and family violence in Darwin.
New South Wales Services
Domestic Violence Line: is a NSW Government service with a 24 hour helpline for persons experiencing domestic violence. Call 1800 65 64 63.
NSW Rape Crisis Centre is the 24/7 telephone and online crisis counselling service for anyone in NSW – men and women – who has experiences or is at risk of sexual assault and their non-offending supporters.
Survivors and Mates Support Service is a not-for-profit organisation working to increase public awareness of the effects that childhood sexual abuse can have on men in their adult lives.
Living Well: provides information and support for men who have been sexually abused in childhood or sexually assaulted as an adult.
Queensland Services
DV Connect is the only state wide telephone service offering women affected by domestic or family violence free crisis counselling and support 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Call 1800 811 811.
Sexual Assault Helpline offers telephone support and counselling to anyone – women, men and young people – who has been sexually assaulted or abused and for anyone who is concerned or suspects someone they care about might have been assaulted or abused. Call 1800 010 120.
Ruth’s Women’s Shelter Cairns provides secure crisis accommodation ensuring optimum safety, guidance and support to women and children escaping Domestic Violence and Family Violence.
Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service aims to provide high quality, responsive services to our clients. Our service is staffed by qualified professionals with experience in adult and child/youth counselling, court support, community development and professional training.
Women’s Centre Cairns provides prevention, intervention and support services to women and children in Cairns.
Caboolture Regional Domestic Violence Service aims to provide safe, accessible and appropriate services that contribute to the prevention of domestic and family violence in the community, and which support and empower people affected by domestic and family violence.
Ipswich Women’s Centre Against Domestic Violence is actively involved in supporting women and children survivors of domestic & family violence, in addition to coordinating a community response to this issue.
Brisbane Domestic Violence Service is a free and confidential service for people in the Brisbane Metropolitan area who are affected by domestic and family violence. The service supports women, children, family members, same sex couples and others.
Brisbane Rape & Incest Survivor’s Support Centre is a specialist community-based organisation that provides free and confidential support services to women who have experienced sexual assault at any time in their lives.
Centre Against Sexual Violence is a community based sexual assault service which is dedicated to serving the sexual assault support, education and information needs of the Logan, Beenleigh and Beaudesert communities.
Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence: provides crisis support, professional counselling and practical support through the related legal processes for victims/survivors of sexual violence. They also provide information to partners, friends and relatives of women who have experienced sexual violence and strategies for how they can support the victim/survivor.
South Australian Services
Domestic Violence & Aboriginal Family Violence Gateway Service: helps South Australians who have been affected by family or domestic abuse with support, emergency accomodation and professional counselling.
Respond SA supports adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, their families and friends to work through issues of abuse and trauma.
Yarrow Place is the lead public health agency responding to adult rape and sexual assault in South Australia and provides direct services to people who have been raped or sexually assaulted and who were aged 16 years or more at the time of the assault, and links with other agencies and workers to provide services to victims/survivors.
Tasmanian Services
Sexual Assault Support Service is a community based service committed to providing high quality support and information services to survivors of sexual assault in Southern Tasmania, their carers and support people, professionals, and the general public.
Safe at Home involves a range of services working together to protect and support victims of family violence, including young people and children, while making offenders responsible for their behaviour. You can report or discuss family violence incidents through the Family Violence Response and Referral Line – 1800 633 937 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Centre Against Sexual Assault offers free and confidential services to men, women and children who have been affected by sexual assault or rape at sometime in their lives, be they victims, survivors, family or other support people.
Laurel House is a community based organisation that provides therapeutic services and support for women, men and children. Their service is completely confidential and free to victim/survivors and their families, friends and support people of sexual violence in the North and North West (63 and 64 telelphone districts) of Tasmania.
Family Violence & Counselling & Support Service offers professional and specialised services to assist children, young people and adults affected by family violence.
Victorian Services
Sexual Assault Crisis Line Victoria is a state-wide, after-hours, confidential, telephone crisis counselling service for victim/survivors of both past and recent sexual assault. Call 1800 806 292.
Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria are a statewide resource centre supporting workers and families to help stop family violence.
Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault work to ensure that women, children and men who are victim/survivors of sexual assault have access to comprehensive and timely support and intervention to address their needs.
Safe Steps Domestic Violence Response Centre advocates for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and children by providing a state-wide immediate response that informs, protects and connects women and children so they are safe.
Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria provides assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims/survivors of family violence and sexual assault and works with families and communities affected by violence. Call 1800 105 303.
Men’s Referral Service takes calls from Australian men dealing with family and domestic violence matters. If your behaviour has brought you into contact with the police or courts and you’re facing issues such as an intervention order, behaviour change, anger management, access or custody, then it’s time to give them a call. Call 1300 766 491
No To Violence is an anonymous and confidential phone service for men who use family violence,
and for professionals seeking advice. Call 1300 766 491.
Domestic Violence Victoria is the peak body for women and children’s family violence services in Victoria. Their mission is to lead the Victorian community in building safer lives for women and children experiencing or at risk of violence.
Western Australian Services
Domestic Violence Helpline: is a state wide 24 hour service that provides support and counselling for women experiencing family and domestic violence. This includes phone counselling, information and advice, referral to local advocacy and support services, liaison with police if necessary and support in escaping situations of family and domestic violence. The service can refer women to safe accommodation if required. Call 1800 007 339.
Domestic Violence Helpline: is a state wide 24 hour service that provides counselling for men who are concerned about becoming violent or abusive. The service can provide telephone counselling, information and referral to ongoing face to face services if required. Information and support is also available for men who have experienced family and domestic violence. Call 1800 000 599.
Sexual Assault Resource Centre is the emergency sexual assault (rape crisis) service for Perth, Western Australia. Call 1800 199 888.
Crisis Care Helpline is a telephone information and counselling service for people in crisis needing urgent help. It operates 24 hours, 7 days a week. Call 1800 199 008. Contact them if you need someone to help sort out a serious problem, you are concerned about the wellbeing of a child, you are escaping domestic violence and need help, you are alone or afraid and urgently need to talk to someone, you are homeless or you need counselling, information or other support.
Women’s Council is a state-wide peak organisation committed to improving the status of women and children in society. We seek to ensure that all women and children live free of domestic and family violence.
The Patricia Giles Centre is a feminist-based, non-profit organisation committed to providing services to women and children who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence and to men who seek to improve the quality of their family relationships.
Waratah provides free, specialised intervention services for people who have experienced sexual assault and sexual abuse and/or family domestic violence; or for those who need to know how to deal with issues and impacts of the trauma in their lives.
