Promising Practice Programs

Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault (SAMSSA)

Agency	Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
Website	http://www.apex.net.au/~samssa/
Contact	Robert Worton/Rachel Hockey 2/114 Maitland Street Hackett ACT 2602 Phone (02) 6262 7377 Fax (02) 6262 7388 Email samssa@effect.net.au
Start date	1997
End date	ongoing
Program type	Counsellors/Support Workers Community awareness/education Service provider training Training for community groups Advocacy program Therapeutic responses to victims
Geographical area	Australian Capital Territory
Target group	Adult survivors Male victims Indigenous and culturally diverse People with disabilities Rural service providers Criminal justice Police Young people
Description	SAMSSA is primarily a sexual assault counselling service for male victims/survivors. Given the relative scarcity of services for male victims/survivors, SAMSSA is included here as an example of good practice in service provision. SAMSSA provides face to face counselling, telephone counselling, email-based assistance, referral, support for workers/carers/family members, education and training to the community sector. SAMSSA's service objectives are: to provide a service that is safe and accessible for the service client group; To provide a flexible service that is responsive to the needs of male survivors and the community, with the input of service users; To provide support, information, and referral options to the service client group; To raise awareness of the nature and impact of sexual assault and sexual abuse perpetrated against men, women and children; To contribute to the growing pool of knowledge and experience about male sexual assault and related issues; To work towards a model of good practice for men's sexual assault support services; To work cooperatively with and acknowledge the work of women's services in the area of sexual assault.
Promising practice examples	SAMSSA individually, and together with the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, provides education to public and private schools, and community services as to the effects, myths, beliefs surrounding male sexual assault. SAMSSA endeavours to empower the participants to take a stand against male sexual assault, and to address the problems of secrecy that abound in this area. SAMSSA: 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, and 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 Demonstrates a capacity for replication (i.e. other services/organisations could adapt/re-model the program for their use)
Funding	ACT Department of Disability, Housing, and Community Services
Philosophical framework	SAMSSA operates under a philosophy founded on the following principles: SAMSSA is opposed to all forms of sexual violence and domination. SAMSSA is a male-positive, gay-affirming and pro-feminist service. SAMSSA supports healthy, non-violent, life-affirming and creative ways of being men. SAMSSA recognises and welcomes the challenges and opportunities of diversity in the Australian community.
Research informing program	In 1997 a 'Needs Assessment Survey' was generated through funding by the ACT government. As a result there were two identified populations: men who are survivors of child sexual abuse adult sexual assault or any form of sexual violence; the partners, family friends and supporters of male survivors. The respondents were drawn from existing providers of male survivor services, interested members of the ACT community, and other agencies who identified as working with male survivors in some capacity.
Evaluation	Internal Written following attendance The program is continuously evaluated as a condition of the ongoing funding. The evaluation takes the form of demographic data from areas such as: number of sessions per person; areas of assault; survivor/perpetrator statistics; and a number of other variables.

Back to Promising Practice Programs

Top