Home / Specific Support / Support for those who suffered abuse in the community or other institutions
Many Catholic institutions have some sort of support service or a professional standards office in relation to child sexual abuse matters. Contact should be made via the diocesan offices for a diocesan matter or the head office of an order for support from the institution.
Some non-religious institutions may also have a support service or a professional standards office.
An internet search should provide the relevant contact details for different institutions.
24-hour Acute Response
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Youthline: 02 9951 5522
Child Protection Helpline: 13 21 11
NSW Rape Crisis is a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week telephone and online crisis counselling service for anyone in NSW — men, women and non offending supporters — who has experienced or is at risk of sexual assault. Counselling services for women who were sexually assaulted in childhood are also available from Women’s Health Centres across NSW:
www.nswrapecrisis.com.au
P: 1800 424 017
Government departments
NSW Health offers information for victims of sexual assault, including a range of services and supports:
www.health.nsw.gov.au/parvan/sexualassault/Pages/default.aspx
Contact details for the multiple local sexual assault centres:
www.health.nsw.gov.au/parvan/sexualassault/Pages/health-sas-services.aspx
Contact can be made with Police in the area in which the offences occurred. Information about local area commands and police reporting can be found at:
www.police.nsw.gov.au
The NSW Department of Justice, Victims Services offers a range of supports and advice, including the Approved Counselling Service:
www.victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au
Community support
SAMSN (Survivors And Mates Support Network) provides psychologist-led, facilitated peer support groups to help men coping with the effects of childhood sexual abuse. SAMSN is based in Sydney but facilitates groups in regional areas including Newcastle:
www.samsn.org.au
P: 02 8355 3711
E: support@samsn.org.au
Blue Knot Foundation provides specialist phone counselling, support, education, resources, training, and supervision, to help the recovery of adults traumatised as children:
www.blueknot.org.au
Blue Knot Helpline: 1300 657 380 (9am-5pm, Mon-Sun)
1800 Respect provides 24-hour, seven-days-a-week telephone and online crisis counselling information and referral, for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence:
www.1800respect.org.au
P: 1800 737 732
Care Leavers Australasia Network provides support and advocacy for people who grew up in Australian orphanages, children’s homes and in foster care, and their families. Counselling and case management is available:
www.clan.org.au
P: 1800 008 774
E: support@clan.org.au
MensLine Australia is a national telephone and online support, information and referral service for men with family and relationship concerns:
www.mensline.org.au
P: 1300 78 99 78 (available 24 hours, seven days a week)
Suicide Call Back Service provides 24-hour, seven-days-a-week counselling for people 18 years and over who are suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal or people bereaved by suicide:
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
P: 1300 659 467