Sexual Assault Support Services
13YARN – Virtual
13YARN is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support helpline.
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1800RESPECT – Virtual
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. If you or someone you know is affected by domestic, family and sexual violence, support is available 24/7.
Call 1800 737 732
Chat online via our website
Text 0458 737 732
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Gunbalanya Women’s Safe House
The Gunbalanya Women’s Safe House offers support services which include:
- Assistance to clients who are experiencing family and/or domestic violence
- Community stakeholder liaison with community leaders, police, school and clinic
- Receive and action referrals from police, Clinic and Night Patrol
- Initiates well-being activities for clients and families
- Works closely with external stakeholders to deliver educational programs to clients and families
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Relationships Australia – Redress Scheme Support Service
We provide free support for people who would like to apply for the National Redress Scheme.
If you experienced sexual abuse as a child under 18 years of age in any institution or school (including sporting club, scouts, orphanages, foster care, religious organisation, group home or clubs) we can support you.
Our support services can help people understand the Redress Scheme and its eligibility requirements. We support them through their application process and help with access to legal and financial advice.
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Ruby Gaea
Ruby Gaea in an independent Darwin women’s organisation established in 1987. Ruby Gaea provides free, confidential counselling and support to women and children who have experienced sexual assault at any time in their lives. We challenge the attitudes and myths that perpetuate sexual violence in our community by providing education and training.
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Sexual Assault Referral Centre
Sexual assault referral centre (SARC) can give you support if you have experienced sexual assault.
Sexual assault can be verbal harassment, unwanted touching or an attack.
SARC provides the following services:
- counselling for adults and children who have been sexually assaulted at any time in their life
- information, support and counselling for non-offending parents, family members and partners
- education and information for community or professional groups
- support if you are going through a legal process
- protective behaviour for children
- working with other government agencies to work on prevention.
In the Darwin and Alice Springs SARC you can get 24hour access to medical, legal and counselling information. SARC provides NO FEE services.
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WoSSCA – Shelter and Crisis Support
At Women’s Safety Services of Central Australia, we provide support and immediate shelter, for you and your children/grandchildren, with an average stay for most women of a few days, to a few weeks. Our shelter is high security, with 30 beds and we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Along with case management, risk assessment, safety planning and emergency relief, we can also refer you to other services in town (such as our counselling appointments) to get the support you need.
Our focus is to provide a space for you, where you can feel safe and supported, while you decide what to do next. When you come to us we respect your privacy – what you tell us remains confidential.
Safety Planning and Risk Assessment
One of the most important things we will do together is ‘risk assessment’ and ‘safety planning’. Our staff are trained to help you work out what the biggest risks may be for you, and to support you to make a safety plan that focusses on your needs and your situation and that keeps you safe. We will give you information that can help you understand some of the risk factors that can increase your chance of being harmed, and work with you to help reduce those risks.
As well as understanding the risks, we help you do a safety plan. This might include talking about who the safe people in your life are, arranging a domestic violence order, letting the police know about your situation, or relocating you to a different house, town or community if necessary.
​Supporting Your Children
Children are often unintentional victims of domestic and family violence. We want them to feel safe and supported too when they come to the shelter with you. We can also refer them on to other services if they need more help.
​All of our staff work to create a positive atmosphere that supports children and focuses on their individual needs. Stability during times of crisis is really important for children, so we try to maintain routines, support you to make sure they can keep going to school and provide a happy and healthy environment for them to learn, play and feel safe. We have facilities set up for children of all ages, including a new playground and activity space. We also have a family room equipped with games, movies, paints, crafts and books.
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WoSSCA – Urban & Remote Outreach Program
Our Urban and Remote Outreach Team can help you if you live in Alice Springs or the communities of Yuendumu, Papunya, Ntaria/Hermannsburg & Ti Tree . They can come to you, or you can come and talk to them at the Outreach office.
The Outreach Program can help you if you are:
- ​​A woman who was staying at the shelter but has gone home and would still like support.
- A woman who has not been staying at the shelter but would like to talk with someone.
- A woman who feels unsafe.
​We can have a cup of tea and talk together, or support you through life changes as they are happening. At different times during difficult relationships, the support you need might be different. We will develop a safety plan with you with the goals you would like to achieve to keep yourself safe.
The Outreach Program was started a long time ago and over the past decade, as more funding became available, it became two teams. The Urban Outreach Team supports you if you live in Alice Springs and the Remote Outreach Team supports you if you live in remote communities in Central Australia and the tri-state area of Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
Both the Urban and Remote Teams work closely with other services in Alice Springs, to provide a strong support network to women experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. The Outreach Program believes in early intervention – working with women and their children.
​The Outreach Team has a private office in the centre of Alice Springs where women are welcome to drop in any time between 9am and 4pm weekdays. If you live in Alice Springs, but can’t visit our Outreach office, let us know and someone from the Urban Outreach Team can come to visit you.
​If you are a local service provider or health worker, you can also complete this referral form to make sure women get the support they need.
The Outreach Program is free for all women and their children, who are experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence. If you need help or support call us on (08) 8953 7648.
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