Promising Practice Programs

Education and Training Unit,
Sexual Assault Resource Centre

PO Box 842
Subiaco
Western Australia 6904

One of the major challenges for the sexual assault sector is to provide an accessible effective statewide service for people who have experienced recent sexual assault and past sexual abuse. In collaboration with regional sexual assault agencies, the Sexual Assault Resource Centre in Perth has been endeavouring to meet this challenge.

The Gordon Inquiry came about following the tragic suicide death of a teenage Nyoongar girl. Susan Taylor (her parents want her name used to give highlight the circumstances of her death). It was noted at the Coroner's Inquest that numerous agencies had been involved in Susan Taylor's case but had failed to liaise or work together.

On 15 January 2002, the Premier appointed Magistrate Sue Gordon, Kay O'Hallahan and Darryl Henry to inquire into the response by Government to reports of child abuse and family violence in Aboriginal communities. The Inquiry ran for 6 months, heard from 45 witnesses and produced a report totalling 642 pages with 197 recommendations.

As a result of the Gordon enquiry, the Education and training unit was established at SARC and was identified as the lead agency to respond to sexual assault and sexual abuse in the community. SARC has endeavoured to work with a range of agencies and workers to increase:

1. their knowledge about the impact of sexual violence on the mental health of their clients and
2. their skills in responding to disclosures of sexual assault or abuse.

SARC has demonstrated this lead role in building the capacity of the field to respond to sexual violence by providing a range of training initiatives throughout Western Australia. Since the Education and Training unit was established in 2004, approximately 3000 professional workers have received some education and training in order to increase their knowledge, competence and confidence in responding to both sexual assault and abuse. This has included over 400 Aboriginal workers.

By developing knowledge and skills, as well as challenging myths around sexual assault, workers from a range of agencies are able to offer a more comprehensive service or referral, as required.

Therefore the Education and training unit at SARC has made a significant contribution to the field of sexual assault through the provision of training programs that aim to:

• Increase the knowledge, competence and confidence of the workforce to respond to sexual violence and the resulting mental health problems and drug use problems 
• Enhance the standard of services available throughout the metropolitan and regional areas
• Enhance service provision by building the capacity of the sector to respond to sexual violence
• Increase access to treatment services

Agencies trained in both the metropolitan and regional areas include:

• The Police
• Department of Justice
• Drug and Alcohol agencies
• Aboriginal agencies, including Derbarl Yerrigan, Marr Mooditj, Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Service (previously known as NASAS) and indigenous community members
• Hospital staff, including emergency doctors and nurses
• Department of Education staff
• Mental Health workers

Training has been provided through calendar training events and requests from agencies throughout the metropolitan and regional areas of WA.

The legal field has been a priority in terms of providing education and training. This included undertaking the forum Sex, Laws and Videotapes, the Legal response to sexual assault with key speakers from a number of agencies including ACSSA; Police; Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia; Criminal Injuries Compensation and WAFSAS staff. 

The following innovative training program was developed after consultation with key personnel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia.

The aim of the training program was to provide staff at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia with a greater understanding of the nature and impact of sexual violence on complainants.  It was hoped to increase their knowledge about the impact of sexual assault and abuse, and in turn, to increase their sensitivity in dealing with complainants.

Four one hour sessions were provided:

Session 1 - the aim was to provide information about prevalence; forensic information including genital and general injuries and injury interpretation; lack of injury in sexual assault; forensic specimens - what is taken and why and an overview of medical issues and anatomy.

Session 2 - the aim of this session was to introduce prosecutors to models of trauma as well as discuss the short and long term impact of Child Sexual abuse. The session addressed the issue of psychophysiological effects; how we mightexplain different reactions of complainants; developmental effects; revictimisation; why people don't disclose or report sexual violence and some myths around sexual assault.

Session 3 - This session focused on indigenous issues including work that SARC has done to increase access to the service by indigenous clients.

Session 4 - The final session focused on the links between sexual violence, mental health and drug use problems. Issues around males and sexual violence including impact; why men do not disclose or report; myths were also raised.

The aim was to improve the response of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia to victims of sexual assault and to encourage a broader sensitivity towards some of the barriers victims/survivors face in disclosing and reporting a sexual assault.

Evaluation was undertaken to ensure that the program was consistent with quality practice. This included an evaluation of participant's knowledge and usefulness of the content. The training program was highly evaluated by those attending in terms of usefulness and increased knowledge.

The training program is consistent with SARC mission and value statements.

To be leaders on a statewide level and respected nationally in the field of sexual assault and sexual abuse, providing access to a holistic and evidence based clinical practice that meets the needs of all people.

Mission

To provide access to medical, forensic and counselling services, at appropriate locations, to meet the needs of our client group irrespective of gender or cultural background.

To provide a statewide service that enhances the access of a range of professional groups, particularly in rural and remote services, to education and training services and clinical and professional support.

To initiate and improve collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders, particularly with Aboriginal people in their communities, to continually improve our service delivery.

To actively encourage consumer advocacy and to create opportunities for consumers to provide structured feedback on service provision.

To foster a culture of research, evaluation, teaching and training, whilst developing the skills of our staff to ensure the organisation remains at the cutting edge of service delivery.

To be open and transparent in our clinical and management communications and to provide staff support in order to promote a collegiate environment of trust, cohesiveness and development.

Cultural respect

In addition to the vision, mission and values of SARC, cultural respect is a commitment to the legitimate cultural rights, values and expectations of indigenous people. It requires programs and services to provide equal quality and outcomes irrespective of cultural background. The Aboriginal Cultural Respect - Implementation Framework requires the Department of Health to better develop and manage health services so that all Indigenous people can expect and receive core services, delivered in an efficient and timely manner, and staff can be confident that their talents and commitment can have the best effect.

The Education and Training unit is committed to ensuring that all training is developed with an indigenous focus and component.

Additionally, the Education and Training unit is underpinned by principles of access and equity, being responsive to individual and community needs, being cost effective, evidence based and adopting a flexible and pragmatic approach.

Based on research undertaken by Denise Leivore; the Australian Centre for Sexual Assault Services; current theoretical models of trauma; physiological and psychosocial impact. Research by Herman, 1997 and Briere 2002 indicate that sexual assault and sexual abuse can contribute to widespread mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder. (Herman, 1997, Briere 2002) As such, it is important that the mental health needs of clients who have experienced a sexual assault are understood by people in the legal profession in order to work with client's ambivalence about their involvement with the legal system.  Research undertaken by SARC in 2003 revealed that up to 71% of people who presented at the agency had experienced either mental health and/or alcohol and drug use problems. (Stone and Clifton, 2005).

Method: Internal, written evaluation following attendance.

Evaluation included two indicators - whether participants perceived that their knowledge of sexual assault had increased; and whether they found the content of the program useful for their work.

Briere, J. (2002) Treating adult survivors of severe childhood abuse and neglect; Further development of an integrative model; In Myers et al The APSAC Handbookon child maltreatment, 2nd Edition. Newbury Park,CA : Sage publications.

Clifton and Stone (2005) Co-morbidity of sexual violence with Mental Health and Alcohol and Drug Issues. Issues, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne.

Department of Health (2004) Western Australia’s Mental Health Strategy 2004-2007.

Department of Health (2005) WA Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy 2005-2008.

Department of Health (2005) Strategic Intent 2005-2010.

Ferguson, D.M. & Mullin, P.E. (1999). Childhood sexual abuse: an evidence-based perspective.London: Sage

Herman, Judith: (1997) Trauma and Recovery; Basic Books.