Abuse Horrors to Stretch West's Counselling Services

By Nick Toscano
Moonee Valley Weekly
January 21, 2013

http://www.mooneevalleyweekly.com.au/story/1243382/abuse-horrors-to-stretch-wests-counselling-services/?cs=12

Demand up: Jane Vanderstoel says demand for trauma counselling in the west is likely to increase once the Royal Commission into child sex abuse begins. Photo by Cathy Jackson

Demand up: Jane Vanderstoel says demand for trauma counselling in the west is likely to increase once the Royal Commission into child sex abuse begins. Photo by Cathy Jackson

A WESTERN suburbs counselling service is dealing with a surge in demand from sexual assault victims as government inquiries trigger renewed trauma for survivors.

The Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault (WestCASA), which helps hundreds of western suburbs residents a year, has had a 30 per cent statewide increase in demand since the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse began in April and the Royal Commission was announced in November.

WestCASA executive officer Jane Vanderstoel warned that demand was likely to jump further when proceedings begin.

"All our centres have had contact with people who have not talked about this before," she said.

"The media attention has brought up issues for people — even some of our current clients — because they open a newspaper or turn on the TV and there it is."

Ms Vanderstoel said counselling support was invaluable to people who had been sexually assaulted by family members or in churches, schools, sport clubs or workplaces.

"Survivors may find themselves experiencing trauma responses such as nightmares, flashbacks, an inability to sleep, intrusive thoughts and issues with trust and intimacy," she said.

WestCASA offers group work, alternative therapy, yoga and shiatsu alongside counselling.

The service, which is funded by the Department of Human Services, helped 557 residents in Wyndham, Melton Brimbank, Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong last year.

But Ms Vanderstoel said population growth in the western suburbs meant greater government investment was needed.

A multi-disciplinary centre, like those announced for Gippsland and Bendigo in last year's budget, is the long-term goal for the western region.

"The model, where police, child protection and other agencies are co-located, has been shown to increase reporting."

The service has recently added an extra two days of counselling into the Hoppers Crossing branch in a bid to trim the six-month waiting list.

Free counselling is available to people over the age of 12.