Sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual behaviour or activity that makes a person feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened. It is sexual activity that the person has not consented to. Sexual assault refers to a broad range of sexual behaviours from sexual harassment to life-threatening rape. Anyone can be sexually assaulted.
Many people think that sexual assault is motivated by desire. It’s not. It’s about power, entitlement, violence and a belief by the perpetrator that they can ‘get away with it’.
Victims are never to blame for sexual assault.
What to do if you have been sexually assaulted
If you have been sexually assaulted (recently, or in the past), you can contact:
Sexual Assault Crisis
Line
External Link
– this is a state-wide, after-hours, confidential, telephone crisis counselling service for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault Tel.
1800 806 292
Centres Against Sexual Assault
(CASA)
External Link
– CASAs provide a free, confidential, 24-hour emergency and crisis care service
Victoria Police (000)
National Sexual Assault,
Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service
(Australia)
External Link
– a 24-hour support and counselling service for all Australians who have experienced sexual, domestic or family violence Tel.
1800 RESPECT
your
GP (doctor)
.
There is no time limit on reporting sexual assault in Victoria.
The police and CASAs work cooperatively to respond to people who have been sexually assaulted, but these organisations operate separately. So even if you don’t want to report a sexual assault to the police, you can still use the support services. You don’t need to suffer in silence.
Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASAs)
CASAs provide a safe place for survivors of sexual assault to talk about their feelings in their own way and in their own time. Survivors are informed of their fundamental rights to medical, legal and support options.
Centres Against Sexual Assault
(CASAs)
External Link
respond to every victim and survivor with:
belief
respect
sensitivity
recognition of their struggle and ability to survive.
Contacting the police about a sexual assault
You can call Victoria Police on 000 to report a sexual assault. You can do this straight away, or at any time after the assault. In Victoria, there is no time limit on reporting sexual assault.
If you decide, after any period of time, that you want to report the assault to the police, contact the Police Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT). You can find your local SOCIT unit on the
Victoria Police
website
External Link
.
SOCIT is staffed by experienced and qualified Victoria Police detectives specially trained to respond to and investigate sexual assault and child abuse.
Victoria Police has adopted guidelines for responding appropriately to people reporting sexual assault. This approach is outlined in the
Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Sexual
Crime
External Link
. Key aspects of the code include providing victims of sexual assault with information, choice, and access to support and advocacy.
Physical evidence of sexual assault
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or abused, it’s a good idea to have a health check-up, even if you decide not to report the assault to the police.
You can have a check-up with your doctor or contact a
CASA
External Link
. This is to treat any injuries and check for sexually transmissible infections. If you do not want to speak about the assault, you can say you had unprotected sex.
If you think you could have become pregnant, you can take
emergency contraception
(also known as the ‘morning-after pill’). This is available from pharmacists and doctors.
If you decide to report the assault to the police, you will be asked if you agree to a medical examination. This is done to collect forensic evidence to help the police with their case. Physical evidence of the crime is sometimes the only undisputed fact presented in court.
If you agree to have an examination, it is recommended that you
do not
:
shower
change clothes
eat
drink, or
go to the toilet
before the examination.
The examination may include:
general examination – to look for and treat any injuries, including cuts or bruises. Photographs may be taken of the injuries, but only with your consent. Clothing may be kept for forensic testing
for women, a pelvic examination – similar to the procedure for a cervical screening test (previously known as a Pap test)
fluid samples – swabs will be taken and sent to a laboratory.
Sexual assault is a hidden crime
Sexual assault is a crime that is vastly:
under-reported
under-investigated, and
under-convicted.
According to the Victorian Law Reform Commission:
one in six reports to police of rape
less than one in seven reports of incest or sexual penetration of a child
one in seven reports of women sexually assaulted by a current partner, and
just over one in six reports of sexual assault by any other male
result in prosecution.
Of all the people committing sexual assaults in Victoria, less than five per cent face legal punishment.
Women are more likely to report the crime to police if the offender is a stranger. They are less likely to report current husbands, de facto partners or boyfriends.
Reasons for under-reporting of sexual assault
Research shows that sexual assault is not reported to the police for many reasons, including:
lack of faith in police and the justice system
the fear of not being believed
fear of coping with the medical and legal procedures
fear of reprisals
not wanting family and friends to know
humiliation and shame
prevalent social attitudes, which blame the person who was sexually assaulted for the assault.
Sexual assault in Australia
According to Australian statistics:
Since the age of 15 years, one in five women and one in 20 men have experienced one or more episodes of sexual violence.
93 per cent of offenders are male.
78 per cent of sexual assault victims had some form of relationship with the offender.
Over two thirds of sexual assaults occurred at a residential location.
Emotional impact of sexual assault
The terror, pain and humiliation suffered during a sexual assault can have dramatic short- and long-term consequences for the survivor. The impacts may affect every aspect of a person’s life, including:
emotional, mental and physical health
family and social relationships
schooling
career and employment
housing.
Emotional effects may include:
shame and embarrassment
fear, including fear of the offender
general fear of all people of the same sex as the perpetrator
anxiety and depression
feelings of guilt, regret and self-blame
low self-esteem
difficulty trusting others
difficulty with sexual relationships
post-traumatic stress responses. (Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and withdrawal from people and situations.)
Supportive counselling can reduce the intensity of these impacts.
Where to get help
In an emergency, call 000 (triple zero) for the police or an ambulance
Your
GP (doctor)
Victoria Police Sexual offences and child abuse investigation
teams
External Link
(SOCIT)
External Link
Sexual Assault Crisis
Line
External Link
Tel.
1800 806 292
( 24 hours)
National Sexual Assault,
Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service
(Australia)
External Link
Tel.
1800 RESPECT
(
1800 737 732
) – free telephone counselling hotline (24 hours, 7 days),
online
chat
External Link
Victims of Crime
Helpline
External Link
Tel.
1800 819 817