Alice Springs sexual assault service sees increase in self-referrals

Self-referrals to a Territory sexual assault service are rising for a number of reasons. Find out what’s behind the steep increase here.

The Alice Springs Sexual Assault Referral Centre is experiencing an increasing number of self-referrals as victims feel more empowered to come forward.

Centre manager Heather O’Dea leads the multidisciplinary team dealing with acute sexual assault patients.

She said the team was “busy”, with numbers increasing towards the end of last year and remaining steady ever since.

“I would say we’re too busy,” she said.

Ms O’Dea pointed to an increased awareness of sexual assault as a factor behind the increase.

Heather O’Dea said awareness and education were key in reducing sexual assault in communities, with the centre introducing a number of initiatives this April.

“It ebbs and flows, the year Grace Tame became Australian of the year we had absolutely increased numbers because suddenly people went ‘if she can do it, I can do it too’,” Ms O’Dea said.

“We have a real steady flow of people now picking up the phone themselves and making that first call.

“We still got a lot of referrals coming from police and from hospital, because people present to them as well usually when there has been additional violence.”

She said media reporting of sexual assault had helped people become aware of their own trauma, but believed there was still under reporting of sexual assault in communities as young people may not have the knowledge needed to become forward.

“I think, people are more willing to go ‘wait a minute, I think that’s what happened to me is not okay’ and I think it’s because of other people standing up and saying what has happened to them and not hiding away from that,” Ms O’Dea said.

“That’s not for everyone, for some people it takes a really long time if ever to come forward.

“And I do believe there probably is some gross underreporting in our communities, especially with our young people, who may not even know what has happened to them is sexual assault and sexual violence.”

Ms O’Dea said increased awareness, coupled with preventive strategies, were needed to combat sexual assault within communities.

The centre had been running workshops with various agencies about how to respond to both victims of sexual assault and those displaying harmful behaviours.

“Just by simply educating people at the coalface about how to do this better is going to be educating the public also about what is sexual assault and helping people to say ‘actually what’s happened to you is sexual assault’, so increasing that awareness,” she said.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The centre has put forward a number of initiatives, including a free screening of The Baukham Hills African Ladies Troupe in Alice Springs on April 24.

“It’s a new documentary celebrating the amazing resilience of four women have all fled violence and sexual abuse in their homeland and come to Australia,” Ms O’Dea said.

“It’s the first time we’ve done something like this, and we’ve had some amazing support to make it happen.

“We’ve been so busy with workshops and day to day business, but we’ve been able to get this happen this year, which is a great opportunity to create that awareness.”

Ms O’Dea encouraged all attendees to register on Eventbrite.

In Darwin, a Sexual Assault Awareness Month walk is planned for Saturday, April 22 in Nightcliff.