Sexual Assault – get support or legal advice

Information on this page is correct at the time of VLRC’s Sexual Offences inquiry – completed in November 2021. This page is not updated.

Translating and interpreting service

Connection service for those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment

Sexual assault services – general

Sexual assault services – specialist

Domestic and family violence services

Legal advice

Mental health support services

Police contacts

Victims of crime (general)

TRANSLATING AND INTERPRETING SERVICE
 
Phone: 13 14 50
 

CONNECTION SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR HAVE A SPEECH IMPAIRMENT 
 
Phone: 133 677 or 1300 555 272
 
 
SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES ­ – GENERAL
 
National Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Helpline – provides confidential information, counselling and support service.
 
Phone: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
 
Interpreter: 13 14 50
 
Website: https://www.1800respect.org.au/ (includes 24-hour chat line)
 
Sexual Assault Crisis Line – provides state-wide after-hours confidential telephone crisis counselling service for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault.
 
Crisis Line: 1800 806 2929 (free call)
Website: www.sacl.com.au
 
Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA) – provide support and intervention to women, children and men who have experienced sexual assault.
 
Website: www.casa.org.au
List of CASA contact details: https://www.casa.org.au/contact-us/


SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES – SPECIALIST
 
ReachOut Sexual Assault Support Page – provides young people and their parents with mental health support.  ReachOut’s ‘sexual assault support’ website has useful information and contact details for support services.
 
Website: https://au.reachout.com/articles/sexual-assault-support
 
Bravehearts Victoria – provides specialist child sexual assault and exploitation counselling and support services.
 
Phone: 1800 272 831
Online referral available on website:  https://bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/counselling-and-support/
 
Gatehouse Centre for Child Sexual Assault – provides assessment, treatment and advocacy services for children and young people aged between 0-17 and their families living in North Western Metropolitan areas.
 
Phone: (03) 9345 6391
Website: https://www.rch.org.au/gatehouse/
 
E-Safety Commissioner – provides information on technology-facilitated abuse, cyberbullying and online safety.  If you are under 18 you can make a complaint to eSafety about cyberbullying or online bullying.
 
Website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/
 
Sexually Abusive Behaviours Treatment Services, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) – provides services to work with a child or young person under the age of 18 years of age who is displaying problem sexual behaviour or sexually abusive behaviour towards others.
 
Website: https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sexually-abusive-behaviours-treatment-s…
 

DOMESTIC & FAMILY VIOLENCE SERVICES
 
Safe Steps Victoria – provides 24/7 specialist family violence support service.
 
Phone: 1800 015 188
 
Email: safesteps@safesteps.org.au
 
Website: https://www.safesteps.org.au/ (includes chat line between 9am-9pm)
 
Djirra  – Aboriginal Family Violence and Legal Service for Aboriginal women in Victoria. All programs support Aboriginal women’s journey to safety and wellbeing.
 
Phone: 1800 105 303 (free call)
 
Website: https://djirra.org.au/who-we-are/
 
Rainbow Door – Rainbow Door is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, and referral service run by Switchboard Victoria.
 
Phone: 1800 729 367
 
Text message: 0480 017 246
 
Email: support@rainbowdoor.org.au
 
Website: https://www.rainbowdoor.org.au/home
 
InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence – provides a state-wide specialist family violence service that works with women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
 
Phone: 1800 755 988
Website: www.intouch.org.au
 
Dardi Munwurro – provides family violence, healing and behaviour change programs and services for Aboriginal men and youth.
 
Website:  https://www.dardimunwurro.com.au/
 

LEGAL ADVICE
 
Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) – provides immediate legal help. VLA provides free legal advice and representation for people who meet the eligibility criteria.
 
Phone:  1300 792 387 (8am – 5pm weekdays)
 
Website: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/(including legal help chat available on the website)
 
 
 
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES
 
Lifeline – provides 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention across Australia.
 
Phone: 13 11 14
 
Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/
 
Beyond Blue – provides telephone and online mental health support service.
 
Phone: 1300 22 4636
 
Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ (includes chat function)
 
Suicide Callback Service – provides a nationwide 24/7 telephone and online counselling service to people affected by suicide.
 
Phone: 1300 659 467
 
Website: https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
 
 
 
POLICE CONTACTS
 
Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) – SOCIT are staffed by experienced and qualified detectives who are trained to respond to and investigate sexual offences and child abuse by perpetrators known to the victim.
 
Website provides telephone contacts for SOCITs in Metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/sexual-offences-and-child-abuse-investigat…
 
Emergency police assistance for immediate danger
 
Phone: 000
 
Police assistance where no immediate danger
 
Phone: 131 444


 
VICTIMS OF CRIME (GENERAL)
 
Victims of Crime Helpline – a Victorian Government service offering free information and support for people affected by crime.
 
Phone: 1800 819 817
 
Text: 0427 767 891
 
Website: https://www.victimsofcrime.vic.gov.au/
 
Victims of Crime Commissioner – promotes the recognition, inclusion and participation of victims of crime in the justice system. If you’ve become a victim of crime and you feel you have been mistreated by policy or a prosecution or victims’ service, make an enquiry.
 
Phone: 1800 010 017
 
Email: enquiries@vocc.vic.gov.au
 
Website: https://www.victimsofcrimecommissioner.vic.gov.au/
 

Voiced by Amazon Polly