SASVic acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional and ongoing custodians of the lands on which we live and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded and recognise First Nations peoples' right to self-determination and continuing connection to land, waters, community and culture.
SASVic also acknowledges victim survivors of sexual violence who we work for every day. We acknowledge the pervasive nature of sexual violence, and the impact that it has on survivors and their communities. We celebrate the powerful advocacy of survivors that is changing systems and policy.
SASVic Member Update
Hi everyone,
What a pleasure to see so many of you at our recovery day last week! Thank you for coming, and to those of you who presented. We're compiling all the presentations, plus some additional resources, and will share them when we've pulled them together.
Of course, we know that there's so much we can't currently offer consistently across the sector because our funding model doesn't enable it. Which is why we're campaigning for better support for our work, as well as (long-overdue) investment to make the legal system less unjust for survivors. If you missed our campaign briefing session on Tuesday, you can now watch the recording. There are lots of ways to get involved. One of the things we'd like to do in the campaign, is share (with your client's permission of course), de-identified case stories, to bring to life the issues we're working on, so we'd be grateful for your help with that.
As those of you who were at the Recovery day, we've just refreshed four of SECASA's great Making Rights Reality resources. These are Easy Read documents that explain things like what forensic medical exam in, what counselling is, and how to access the Financial Assistance Scheme. You can replace the SASVic logo with your agency's - let us know if you find these resources useful.
In solidarity,
Kathleen
CEO
SASVic
Contents
Featured
Preventing sexual violence - what works? In conversation with Emily Maguire, Michael Salter and Kathleen Maltzahn, facilitated by Fiona Vera Gray
Save the date! SASVic is bringing together Professor Michael Salter and Emily Maguire on Friday 28 March to have a conversation about prevention. The live-streamed discussion will be facilitated by Dr Fiona Vera Gray.
We'll have more information for you soon.
Date: Friday 28 March
Time: Morning (tbc)
Location: Online
Watch our member information session
On Tuesday we held a webinar to go over what to look out for when the ALRC Inquiry's report is tabled, as well as our 2025 campaign plans, calling on the Victorian Government to properly fund support for survivors of sexual violence. It was great to see so many of you excited about our campaign!
If you were unable to attend, you can watch a recording of the full webinar linked below. We announced that we'll be launching our campaign officially next week on Thursday 6 March. Look out for an email from us about how you can share the campaign with your networks and write to your MP. In the meantime, you can strengthen our campaign by putting up our campaign poster or sharing de-identified stories.
De-identified stories help us to demonstrate why our campaign asks are needed. If you'd like to share a story or case study with us, please email comms@sasvic.org.au with a couple of paragraphs and which campaign ask/asks it demonstrates the need for.
Service Design & Improvement
Please send any questions you have about our work in this area to maria.papadontas@sasvic.org.au
Making Rights Reality: Refreshed easy read booklets to help victim survivors with disability
SASVic has refreshed four of South Eastern CASA's Making Rights Reality easy read booklets. Making Rights Reality, a program that started in 2012 at South Eastern CASA, provides extra help to adults and children with disability who have experienced sexual violence or family violence. Available across all SECASA sites, the program makes sure people with disability have equal access to counselling, the criminal justice system and the Financial Assistance Scheme. The program and resources were designed to support people with communication difficulties and cognitive impairments.
The resources are welcome to be used by anyone. Your own organisation's logo can be added to the booklet if you'd prefer this. We'd also welcome any feedback on ways we can improve the booklets as they are used. Please email comms@sasvic.org.au with your enquiries and feedback.
Crisis care after sexual assault
Counselling after sexual assault
Join our Disability Inclusion Community of Practice!
To support disability inclusivity and affirming service delivery and practices, SASVic are seeking expressions of interest for the Disability Inclusion Community of Practice (CoP). EOI is open to clinical an non-clinical staff regardless of experience in the sector.
The purpose of this CoP is:
- to provide a space for member organisations to collaborate on work, share resources, identify gaps, and best practices
- to provide a safe and supportive space for members to discuss relevant practice issues
and,
- to provide SASVic with a greater understanding of the issues across the sector that are hindering service delivery, as well as what good practice is occurring
- to identify where SASVic influence would be enhanced by shared approaches and resources, and a common ‘voice’ and key messages.
It is proposed that the disability related topic will change every 4 months so members can consider a range of focus areas. The first focus area could be neurodivergence, commencing in late April 2025.
Please contact Sharray Ash, sharray.ash@sasvic.org.au, to express your interest or to ask questions.
Unlearning ableism: from bias to best practice
A new suite of eLearn Modules by Women with Disabilities Victoria and Safe and Equal will enhance practice capability of practitioners supporting victim survivors with disability. The two organisations are hosting a webinar on 26 March to launch the first module, 'Unlearning Ableism: from Bias to Best Practice.'
SASVic's Inclusion & Equity officer, Sharray Ash, contributed to the module as a subject matter expert on sexual violence. SASVic will advocate for a sexual violence lens to be included in the rest of the modules as much as possible.
Advocacy & evidence
Please send any questions you have about our work in this area to amy.webster@sasvic.org.au
New evidence brief explores potential of men's behaviour change programs, and their limits
Men's behaviour change programs (MBCPs) are a key intervention for people who use violence, but not a standalone solution, says a new evidence brief from ANROWS.
Written in partnership with No to Violence, the brief highlights the need to set realistic expectations of what such programs can achieve, and calls for them to be better embedded within the broader family and sexual violence service system. It also emphasises that completing an MBCP doesn't guarantee behaviour change.
"MBCPs do not exist in a vacuum. They can be enhanced or undermined by the broader environment within which a person using violence is situated."
Bacteria transferred during sex has potential to be used in forensic medicine
Genital bacteria could one day be used to identify perpetrators of sexual assault, a new study has suggested.
Everyone has a genital microbiome (similar to the gut microbiome) that gets transferred to partners during intercourse. Researchers from Murdoch University found that a person's bacterial "signature" could be detected on their partner up to five days after sex. The transfer still happened when a condom was used.
Though they still have more research and "finessing" to do, the researchers suggested that their technique could one day be used in forensic medicine alongside DNA evidence, or even when DNA evidence is absent or scarce.
More evidence points towards a link between trauma and endometriosis
Endometriosis can be linked to traumatic experiences and childhood maltreatment, according to a new study from Yale University.
The researchers found the strongest correlation between "contact traumas," including sexual assault, and the disease. The findings underscore the importance of making sure doctors are trauma-informed when treating patients with endometriosis or suspected endometriosis.
Endometriosis affects around one in nine women and people with female reproductive organs in Australia, and happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body.
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni spoke about the link between trauma and various female health conditions, including endometriosis, pre-menustral dysphoric disorder and polycystic ovary syndrome, at our recent Right to Recovery event.
Sexual violence in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy
Sexual violence has been recognised as a risk to personal safety in the new National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Two actions in the strategy, 1.1b and 1.2a, address sexual violence. Action 1.1b is to advance gender equality and address drivers of gender-based violence, while Action 1.2a is to "reduce the prevalence and impact of child abuse and neglect and family, domestic and sexual violence." The actions overlap with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022 - 2032, as well as other existing strategies and frameworks.
Released on 20 February, the strategy "aims to prevent suicide by addressing the circumstances that lead to suicidal distress and to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts and those who care for them."
Workforce development
Please send any questions you have about our work in this area to emily.roberts@sasvic.org.au
Untouched training - last chance to book!
Join Susan Stark and Kendra Russell for this full-day, in-person training which aims to build foundational skills and knowledge for workers seeking to increase their capacity and confidence in providing support to survivors of sexual abuse and violence, regarding issues related to sex, intimacy and pleasure.
Date: Thursday 20 March
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Second Story Studios, Collingwood
SASVic members, please use promotional code ‘MEM25’ to receive a 25% member discount.
For practitioners new to somatic work, prior completion of ‘Foundations in Feminist Somatics’ (offered on 19 March) is recommended.
Workshop: AIM3 Assessment of Adolescents who Display HSB
We have a few places remaining for our upcoming AIM3 2-day workshops delivered by Marcella Leonard from the AIM Project:
- 1 place remaining in Bendigo, 23 - 24th April
- 4 places remaining in Melbourne, 28th - 29th April
Please contact training@sasvic.org.au for more information.
The workshop is targeted at experienced professionals working with adolescents who display harmful sexual behaviour. It aims to develop practice confidence and competence in completing an AIM3 Assessment with a young person, and provides the practitioner with skills in analysing harmful sexual behaviour to create profiles of risk and need and development through case formulation effective safety plans.
Prevention
Please send any questions you have about our work in this area to jaeme.opie@sasvic.org.au
Article: even with compulsory lessons, some teens are confused about how consent works
Some teens aren't coming away from RRE with an adequate understanding of how to use consent in real life relationships, according to new research with teens.
Through focus groups and interviews with Australian 11-17-year-olds, researchers found some teens view consent as a means to avoid getting in trouble rather than a way of making sure their partner is happy and comfortable. Others wanted to be taught more practical communication skills, including examples of how to ask for and say no to sex. And some felt that "negative" consent lessons were contributing to their fear of having sex.
Respect Victoria – 2025 Three Year Report to Parliament Survey
Every three years, Respect Victoria reports to the Victorian Parliament on the progress, trends, outcomes and collective impact of work across Victoria to prevent violence against women and family and sexual violence.
Respect Victoria is calling for any organisations working in violence prevention to complete their 2025 Three Year Report to Parliament Survey. The purpose of this survey is to collect data on program activity, reach, impact, and barriers from organisations and practitioners involved in the prevention o fgender-based violence across Victoria. It’s made up of 28 questions and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
The survey link will be open until Friday 28 February 2025.
New song encourages kids and parents to have conversations about child sexual abuse
The National Office for Child Safety's 'One Talk at a Time' campaign encourages adults to learn about child sexual abuse and have ongoing conversations with children, young people and other adults. As part of the campaign, they've partnered with children's music group, Teeny Tiny Stevies, to write a song teaching children about their bodies' warning signs, not keeping secrets and talking to trusted adults.
Legal policy
Please send any questions you have about our work in this area to jacqueline.bell@sasvic.org.au
Making the Victims' Charter a more useful framework for victim survivors of sexual violence - SASVic submission
The Victorian Victims of Crime Commissioner is undertaking of a review of the Victims' Charter Act 2006 (Vic). SASVic made a submission to the inquiry highlighting a number of key improvements necessary for making the Victims' Charter a more useful framework for victim survivors of sexual violence, including (among many others):
- improved and sexual violence specialised conciliatory mechanisms
- the introduction of appropriately staged enforcement and accountability mechanisms, to encourage and improve compliance
- the introduction of the right to have certain police and prosecution decisions not to prosecute reviewed
- the introduction of other enforceable legal rights of specific relevance to victim survivors of sexual violence, modelled off existing international human rights.
- the need for victim centered resources in various formats regarding the Victims' Charter.
There is also a survey specifically for victim survivors open until 31 March.
Other news
Call for volunteers - The She Matters Stop Killing Women rally
Sherele Moody, founder of the Red Heart Campaign and the Australian Femicide Watch, is organising a nationwide rally to bring attention to the national crisis of femicide in Australia. The organisers are hoping some counsellor advocates could volunteer to attend the Melbourne rally and offer support to those who may need it due to the nature of the event.
When: Saturday 15th of March
Where: Parliament steps
Time: 11:30-2:30 PM
Please contact Sherele Moody if you would like to help. Email is the best point of contact.
Email: sherele@australianfemicidewatch.org
Number: 0412 274 801
Ridsdale's death a reminder that victim survivors need better support
The death of priest Gerald Ridsdale, convicted of sexually abusing at least 72 children, is a reminder that we need more funding to support victim survivors, Kathleen told the Australian Associated Press last week.
Ridsdale, who had been in prison since 1994, died on Tuesday 18 February. In media coverage of his death, advocates also expressed concern about last year's High Court decision not to recognise vicarious liability of the Catholic Church.
New men's wellness centre to break the cycle of violence
A new men's wellness centre in Lakes Entrance/ Gunaikurnai Country aims to help Aboriginal men break the cycle of violence. Funded by the federal government, it will be one of 13 men's wellness centres around the country providing a safe space for First Nations men to connect with Elders, their community and each other.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth announced on Sunday that $2.4 million would go to Gippsland Lakes Complete Health to set up the Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association (LEAHA) Deyettyan Dardiganni Wellness Service project.
Follow SASVic for more updates.
Workforce training
Keep up to date with training and event opportunities for the sector by visiting the SASVic Training Page
Webinars and events
Please check with your manager before registering, where appropriate.
Safe Steps Candlelight Vigil
The Safe Steps Candlelight Vigil will take place on Wednesday 7 May 2025, National Family Violence Remembrance Day, led by survivors and advocates.
Date: Wednesday 7 May 2025
Time: 6 - 6.45pm
Location: Family Violence Memorial Gardens, East Melbourne
Resources and links
SASVic and member details
SASVic organisational structure with staff names and positions
Specialist Sexual Assault Sector Map
Here is a map that helps people find their local specialist sexual assault service.
National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence
SASVic is a member of the National Association of Services Against Sexual Assault (NASASV).
Acronyms
Here is a list of acronyms. Please let us know if you've discovered any more we should add.
FVSV Knowledge Hub
The Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge on is a one-stop shop for practitioners, program managers, policymakers and funders to access the latest research, resources, case studies, webinars and training opportunities.