Coffs Harbour sexual assault victims forced to travel to Port Macquarie for forensic examination

Coffs Harbour sex assault victims are being forced to travel almost two hours for forensic exams due to a specialist shortage – with some deciding not to pursue justice.

Coffs Harbour sexual assault victims are being forced to travel to Port Macquarie for forensic exams. Picture: Getty Images

Coffs Harbour sexual assault victims are being forced to travel almost two hours away for forensic exams due to a medical specialist shortage – with some deciding not to pursue justice.

Currently, people who have sought help after a sexual assault in the city and surrounds are sent to Port Macquarie.

The situation in one of NSW’s most populous regional cities has dismayed police, while the health service is scrambling to restore the service at Coffs.

Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick explained the “temporary arrangement”.

Stewart Dowrick says the health service is “actively working toward staffing the Sexual Assault Service in the Coffs Harbour region as soon as possible”. Picture: Leigh Jensen

“The district’s Sexual Assault Service is currently experiencing a specialist staffing shortage,” he said.

“As a result, people in the Coffs Harbour region who have experienced a sexual assault are being transferred to Port Macquarie Base Hospital for a medical forensic examination by specialist staff.”

“This temporary arrangement ensures people presenting to sexual assault services in the Coffs Harbour region continue to be provided with 24-hour district-wide integrated psychosocial, medical and forensic crisis support.”

Mr Dowrick said more specialists were on the way.

“We are actively working toward staffing the Sexual Assault Service in the Coffs Harbour region as soon as possible with two doctors due to complete their specialist training soon,” he said.

The situation has already led to at least one woman alleging a sexual assault deciding not to pursue an investigation.

“When you are told that you might have to stay in the same clothes for 36 hours and you can’t shower – she chose not to go ahead,” Warrina Domestic & Family Violence Services chief executive officer Charlotte Young said.

Warrina chief executive officer Charlotte Young.

Warrina is a support service operating from Woolgoolga to Bowraville.

Ms Young said the organisation had been aware of the situation at Coffs hospital for “two to three weeks”.

“We are talking about empowering women and yet here we have a situation where it traumatises them further,” she said.

Coffs Harbour police are also known to be deeply frustrated by the gap in services.

Ms Young said it was an onerous duty for suitably qualified doctors, who may have to spend considerable time attending court to speak about the results of an exam.

“It’s a thankless task and we need a couple of doctors here (at Coffs), not just one,” she said.

The Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

Full Stop Australia CEO Hayley Foster said instances of women baulking at having a forensic examination when it was difficult to access one were “not unusual”.

“That’s the reality of it in some parts of the state,” Ms Foster said.

Full Stop operates the NSW Sexual Violence Helpline, a confidential 24/7 service.

Ms Foster said sexual assault was fastest growing serious crime category nationwide – and only 1.5 per cent of complaints resulted in a conviction.

Full Stop Australia chief executive officer Hayley Foster.

She said there would be virtually no chance of successful prosecutions in many cases without forensic evidence.

“We have an obligation to make sure services are there,” she said.

Ms Foster said it was “heartbreaking” to hear a city the size of Coffs was currently without the necessary services.

She said Full Stop has been lobbying both sides of politics to “turbocharge” investment and address “critical gaps” in the run to the NSW election.

Need help? The free NSW Sexual Violence Helpline offers counselling, information and referrals. Phone [phone].