Promising Practice Programs
Sexual Assault and Intellectual Disability Kit
| Agency | South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (SECASA) East Bentleigh, Vic |
| Website | http://www.secasa.com.au |
| Contact | Carolyn Worth, Coordinator Ph: (03) 9928 8741 |
| Start date | 1999 |
| End date | Will run again |
| Program type | Community awareness/education Service provider training Training for community groups Therapeutic responses to victims |
| Geographical area | Local community |
| Target group | People with disabilities Adult survivors Male victims |
| Description | The Sexual Assault and Intellectual Disability Kit was developed by SECASA to fill a gap in the availability
of Australian resources for teaching people with an intellectual disability about sexual assault. The kit
comprises a seven minute video explaining what constitutes sexual assault, who to tell if this has
happened to you and what will happen once you have reported the offence.
The video material is also contained on an enhanced CD and there is a brochure with a reading level of
difficulty of grade 5. This is an easy brochure to read for people with limited literacy. The kit was initially developed with people with an intellectual disability in mind but has been used by a number of organisations with children to assist the understanding of this issue. The kit was advertised widely. In addition workshops were conducted for the Community Residential Unit House Supervisors to acquaint them with the kit. Workers were allocated a group of Community Residential Units with which to work and this has continued to the present date. |
| Promising practice examples | Takes account of contemporary research and practice developments in the field of sexual assault. Positions diversity as key to the development, understanding and delivery of good practice models. Contributes to improving systems' responses to sexual assault, or is directed at preventing sexual assault. Demonstrates a sensitivity towards the barriers faced by victim/survivors in disclosing and reporting sexual assault. Has a clearly defined conceptual framework. Includes processes of accountability and evaluation. The development of the Kit brought SECASA into contact with the system that provides services for people with an intellectual disability. This has increased our referrals and also our outreach into those communities. |
| Philosophical framework | It was understood from the literature that people with an intellectual disability are at a higher risk of being assaulted than those without an intellectual disability. Also because they are often not seen as being able to make decision for themselves it was considered important that SECASA had closer links with the service system for this group of people in order to advocate for them when necessary. |
| Research informing program | Patsey Frawley Report on CASAs and Clients With an Intellectual Disability, December 1997 Disability Services Unit of Family Planning Victoria. |
| Publications | The Sexual Assault and Intellectual Disability Kit is available free of charge from SECASA. |