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Support Guide
For victims & survivors
If you think a child is in immediate danger:
This guide is developed to support individuals, both children and adults, who have experienced recent or historic sexual abuse.
Whether you're a child or an adult survivor, or seeking support for a loved one, the following resources are available:
Australia
Contact AUS Police – call 000
To report non urgent situation, call 131 444
Access to 24/7 hotlines and crisis centres staffed with professionals trained in trauma-informed care, sensitive to the unique needs of survivors reporting recent or historic abuse.
Lifeline 131 114
Lifeline 131 114
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone
When: Anytime – 24 hr service
What For: Crisis situations – feeling overwhelmed / really sad / helpless / alone / feeling suicidal
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Further information –
Safe to Talk – Lifeline also has a live chat where people can chat online with a counsellor
Phone – 13 11 14
Lifeline Australia - Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention.
1800RESPECT
Further information –
Phone - 1800 737 732
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone
When: Anytime – 24 hr service
What For: 1800RESPECT provides support for all people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, sexual assault, domestic or family violence, their friends and family, and workers and professionals supporting them. This includes providing support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people, people with disability, and those that identify as LGBTQIA+.
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Bravehearts
Phone : 1800 272 831
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone
When: Anytime – 24 hr service
What For: Bravehearts Information and Support Line is a toll-free phone service for those seeking advice or help related to child sexual abuse, including what to do if your child or someone you know has disclosed child sexual abuse. Specially trained Information & Support Line operators can also provide information about engaging with Bravehearts and other support services.
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Bravehearts is an excellent first point of call and can provide information about reporting, referrals, crisis support, support for families etc.
Further information –
Full Stop Australia
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests:
When an individual calls Full Stop Australia, a case file is set up (caller can use a pseudonym) so that they do not need to retell their story each time.
In NSW only, there is free face to face counselling available for up to 2 years. (wait time of approx. 3 – 6 months to access this service)
Further information –
Phone - 1800 385578
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone - children under 12 can call but would be referred to Kids Helpline
When: Anytime – 24 hr service
What For: Provides counselling for people whose lives have been impacted by violence and abuse.
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Partners Speak
The support line is a peer line – all providers of the service have their own lived experience of being impacted by child abuse in some way.
There is also a chat line and peer forums available the chat line is available 24/7
Further information –
Phone - 1300 590589
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone who is NOT an offender (over 18)
When: Limited times each day – see website for details
Home | Partnerspeak
What For: Partners speak provides advocacy and support for non-offending partners, family members, friends or anyone else effected by a person who is involved in child sexual abuse and child exploitation material.
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Blue Knot Foundation
Phone - 1300 657 380
Type of Service: Telephone
Who: Anyone over the age of 18 who has been impacted by child sexual abuse as a child.
When: 9.00am – 5.00pm Mon – Sun
What For: Blue Knot Foundation provides short-term counselling, support, information, and referrals to adult survivors of childhood trauma including child sexual abuse, parents, partners, family and friends, as well as the professionals who work with them.
Frequency: No limit
Cost: Free
Website - Blue Knot Foundation
Survivors and Mates Support Network
Who: Male survivors of child sexual abuse, their families and supporters.
What For: Survivors and Mates Support Network (SAMSN) employs qualified staff who have experience working with male survivors of child sexual abuse to provide on-going support services, and facilitates support groups and workshops for men, their families, and supporters.
Website - SAMSN – Supporting Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Knowmore
Who: Survivors of child sexual abuse of any age – will assist under 18 yr olds
What For: knowmore provides free legal advice and support to survivors of child sexual abuse. This includes people who have experienced child sexual abuse in non-institutional settings, and people who were sexually abused in an institution or any organisation that was involved with children. knowmore also works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including Stolen Generation survivors. knowmore’s services include legal advice and assistance, support services, financial counselling and culturally safe supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Further information –
An initial phone interview takes around 20 minutes. The next step is a 40 – 60 minute phone session where advice can be given. This is followed by a letter outlining the discussion and legal advice offered. knowmore then can assist with connecting the person to further services to write reports/submissions etc.
Kids Helpline
Head Space
The support line is a peer line – Up to 6 sessions with a counsellor or social worker totally free
Up to 10 sessions with a psychologist under a mental health care plan – psychologist will bulk bill so there is no out of pocket cost for the person receiving services.
Further information –
Phone - 1800 650 890
Type of Service: Telephone, Online or Face to Face at a Centre
Who: Anyone between the ages of 12-25
When: Business hours
What For: Headspace provides mental health support to 12–25 year olds through over 110 national headspace centres, over the phone or online.
With a focus on early intervention, Headspace works with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.
Frequency: Various
Cost: each Headspace office offers free face to face counselling for young people under 26. Current lead time is approx. 1 month for psychologists and 1 week for counsellors.
Relationships Australia
What For: Provides counselling for individuals, couples, families, etc.
Cost: Relationship Australia also offers mediation services under a similar payment plan where people in conflict can access face to face mediation, shuffle mediation or supported mediation. The wait time for counselling is currently approximately 3 months.
Counselling is charged on a sliding scale depending on income. The lowest cost per session is $25 for pensioners. There is always payment plans and hardship allowances for people who cannot pay.
Website - Relationships Australia | Achieving positive and respectful relationships
Mental Health Plan
What For: This gives access to counselling with a registered psychologist
Frequency: Initially 6 sessions are provided and then a report goes back to the GP who can then approve a further 4 sessions. Under some circumstances, an additional 6 sessions can be made available. This renews each year.
Cost: The Medicare rebate covers the full cost if the psychologist bulk bills. If the psychologist does not bulk bill, there can be a further cost involved.
Further Information:
The GP should have a list of local psychologists and a list of registered psychologists can also be found on the APHRA website.
Website - Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Register of practitioners (ahpra.gov.au)
University Counselling Services
Who: Any enrolled student
What For: Any issue impacting the student.
Further Information - These services can be accessed for any issue which has an impact on students study – i.e. any issue at all.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
What For: An employee of the organisation or a family member.
Frequency: Generally 3 -6 sessions per year
More Information: these services are generally provided by registered psychologists and are generally easy to access.
Cost: Free
Get Help & Support in Australia - Helplines
If you think a child is in immediate danger
Australia - Call (000)
New Zealand - Call (111)