The Victorian Government is working to improve how sexual assault service systems respond to the specific needs of individual victim survivors, including the Aboriginal community.
Victoria continues to deliver an integrated and evidence-based advocacy, support and therapeutic treatment service to meet the needs of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, no matter the context of abuse.
The Victorian Government funds 19 agencies across the state to provide trauma-informed, specialist sexual abuse counselling and advocacy. These sexual assault support services are available to people of all ages who have experienced sexual abuse, including people who have experienced abuse in institutional settings.
The Royal Commission highlighted the need for support services to be responsive to the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
In 2019, consistent with Aboriginal self-determination and the promotion of cultural and emotional safety, work commenced with the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum, the Koori Caucus, and representatives from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, on a culturally safe sexual assault support model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors.
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