Centres against Sexual Assault See More Clients but Miss out on Federal Government Funding

By Emma Hastings
Herald Sun
July 29, 2013

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/east/centres-against-sexual-assault-see-more-clients-but-miss-out-on-federal-government-funding/story-fngnvlxu-1226687364823

Centres Against Sexual Assault spokeswoman Carolyn Worth says waiting times at the centres could blow out even more.

SEXUAL assault support centres - including Ringwood East's Centre Against Sexual Assault - are seeing up to 20 per cent more clients due to the Royal Commission but won't be getting any ­extra funding.

The Federal Government recently announced 28 ­organisations across Australia would share in $45 million to support victims of sexual abuse who present to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

But none of the state's Centres Against Sexual Assault received funding, spokeswoman Carolyn Worth said.

"I think there's something quite bizarre about having a specialised service system in Victoria that deals with victims of sexual assault (CASAs) and (the Government) funds relationship agencies (instead)."

Ms Worth said the CASAs had already been working with people presenting at the Royal Commission and she believed further increases would blow out waiting times.

"(The Royal Commission has) increased our referrals 10 to 20 per cent over the past 12 months," she said.

"It's going to lead to longer waiting times and we are not going to be able to deal with increasing referrals."

The 28 organisations - ­including Berry Street Victoria, Drummond St ­Services and Relationships Australia Vic - are using the $45 million to provide ­services such as counsell­ing, support and case ­management to people ­before, during and after they present to the Royal ­Commission.

If you want to talk to someone about sexual assault, phone the Sexual Assault Crisis Line on 1800 806 292.