1. Sexual Assault,
Intervention
Orders and the
Family Safety
Framework
Sharon Lockwood
Social Work Coordinator
Yarrow Place
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

2. OHT# 2
Partner Rape
Know About it,
Respond Effectively,
Prevent it
Produced by Women’s
Health Goulburn North
East, Victoria
www.whealth.com.au
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

3. OHT# 3
Global Violence
Violence is a leading
cause of death
among people aged 15-29
Source: World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The death and disability
caused by
violence make it one of
the leading
public health issues of our
time
SOURCE: World Health Organization, 2006
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

4. OHT# 4
VIC HEALTH
STUDY
• The cumulative effects of
intimate partner violence (of
which sexual assault is a part)
make it the leading risk factor
contributing to
death, disability, and illness for
women between the ages of 15
and 44, outweighing
smoking, obesity, alcohol and
drug use (VicHealth, 2004)
• Death, physical injuries and
adverse impacts on
reproductive health, mental
health and general wellbeing all
contribute the burden of
disease from intimate partner
violence
• Poor mental health account for
almost two-thirds (60%) of this
burden of disease
(VicHealth, 2004).
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

5. OHT# 5
Gender and Trauma
• Men – more likely to be
harmed by enemies or
strangers (e.g. in
combat, as a victim of
crime)
• Women – at greater risk of
interpersonal violence than
men, and usually at the
hands of a partner/lover
• It is more confusing and
distressing to be harmed
by people who are
supposed to love and care
for you than it is to be
harmed by a stranger or
someone who
dislikes/hates you
(Kendall–Tackett 2005; Covington
2003,1999)
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

6. OHT# 6
Rape in Marriage
Criminalisation in
Australia
• South Australia's 1976
criminalisation of rape in
marriage followed the
recommendations of a law
reform committee headed by
judge Roma Mitchell
• Similar legislation was enacted
in Western Australia in 1976, in
Victoria and NSW in 1981, in
the ACT in 1985, Tasmania in
1987, Queensland 1989 and
the Northern Territory in 1994
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

7. Intimate Partner
OHT# 7
Sexual Violence
• Rapes are more likely to be completed and
repeated in IPSV than in cases of stranger
or acquaintance rape
• Several studies have identified a pattern of
abusive men demanding or forcing sex
following physical violence
• In one study 50% of women in the sample
reported being threatened with physical
abuse for refusing to engage in sex and
36.7% experienced actual beatings for
refusing
• Women are more vulnerable to being
sexually assaulted and sometimes killed by
ex-partners at or after separation
• Women are at risk of sexual assault at
times of shared child care arrangements
post separation
• Women who experienced intimate partner
sexual violence (IPSV) were 5.3 times
more likely to report threatening or
attempting suicide compared with women
who experienced intimate partner physical
abuse only
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

8. OHT# 8
Should we be asking about
sexual violence in family
violence cases?
Studies have identified sexual abuse
by a male intimate partner as a risk
factor for the homicide of either a
victim or perpetrator of domestic
violence, and for victim suicide.
• Research shows that sexually
abusive behaviour by a partner is
likely to be violent and repeated, and
that it forms part of a controlling
pattern of behaviour
• Despite considerable evidence
around the lethal implications of
sexual abuse by a partner, this
behaviour tends to be unreported by
women, denied or minimised by
abusive men, and avoided by workers
and the criminal justice system.
PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DEATH -
IS SEXUAL ASSAULT A RISK FACTOR?
Dr Rochelle Braaf, 2010
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

9. OHT# 9
Should we be asking about
sexual violence in family violence
cases?
Certain forms of domestic violence
perpetrator behaviour may
indicate a higher level of lethal
risk; for example, when:
• abusers commence sexual
abuse
• sexual abuse is coupled with
physical violence
• abusers escalate in either or
both the severity and frequency
of the abuse
• abusers perpetrate sexual
abuse post separation
• the sexual abuse occurs
alongside other lethal risk
factors, like strangulation, use
of weapons or hostage taking
PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DEATH –
IS SEXUAL ASSAULT A RISK FACTOR?
Dr Rochelle Braaf, 2010
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

10. OHT# 10
Questions re sexual
violence
Do you feel confident asking clients
questions relating to sexual
violence?
Should questions about sexual
violence be a routine part of
history taking/client assessment?
Does your work context make
service users aware that you are
willing to discuss issues such as
sexual violence? How?
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

11. OHT# 11
Sexual Autonomy
• Free and voluntary
agreement to sex
• Right to this protected by
law, consent is the legal test
of a breach of this
• Freedom and opportunity to
abstain from sex
• Marriage/committed
relationship does not equal
perpetual agreement to sex
• Consent is not the default
position
• Previous agreement
/participation is irrelevant
• Don’t have to say ‘no’
• Doing or saying nothing
does not indicate agreement
• Absence of verbal
protest, physical resistance
or physical injuries does not
indicate agreement
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

12. OHT# 12
Possible questions
Framing questions
It’s quite common for people to have
experienced unwanted sexual contact so you
may wish to consider routinely ask people
about this. Some may be too afraid or
uncomfortable to bring it up themselves, so
asking it routinely may be helpful.
Possible questions:
•Have you ever had sex you didn’t want or
agree to?
•Have you ever felt frightened of refusing sex
with your partner?
•Have you ever felt that you didn’t have a
choice about sex?
•Do you ever feel like you have to do sexual
things because you are too scared to say no?
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

13. OHT# 13
Yarrow Place, IO
& FSF
Benefits and
Complexities
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

14. OHT# 14
• Useful to have IO as
another legal option to
offer victims
• In DV cases we most often
refer to FSF meetings
following a crisis response
for a recent sexual assault
(clients already known to
FSF agencies), clients
decline use of YP
counselling services but
may not disclose this to
the other FSF agencies
• Often women choose not
to seek sexual assault
counselling ©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

15. OHT# 15
• Most often refer to FSF in
situations involving ongoing
child sexual abuse where the
victim is now an adult and
there are concerns re the risk
of lethality (suicide and /or
homicide) of ongoing abuse
• Usually client engaged for
counselling and client not
known to FSF agencies
• Ethical concern of referral for
counsellors due to therapeutic
relationship, philosophical
positioning of service and
protected communication
status of sexual assault
counselling files
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

16. OHT# 16
• Benefit of FSF referral
option in these
circumstances re worker
well being – worker can
feel less isolated in
managing the client’s
situation, thereby
reducing risk of VT
• By referring to FSF and
including other services,
additional information can
be revealed, such as the
need for mental health
service engagement as a
more appropriate service
option
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

17. OHT# 17
Limitations of the
FSF Tool
FSF assessment tool – two
references to sexual
violence:
• Offender is terrorising and/or
sadistic sexual abuse
including humiliation/forced
sex
Wording of the question
could be more simplified
• Offender has prior arrest for
murder/manslaughter/
rape or sexual assault
Most sexual assaults have a
low reporting rate and high
attrition rate
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

18. OHT# 18
YARROW PLACE
The lead public health
agency in South Australia
responding to adult rape
and sexual assault,
providing
– Medical and counselling
services
– Advocacy
– Training and consultation
regarding responding to
disclosures of sexual
violence to build capacity
– Prevention programs
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network

19. OHT# 19
Counselling Services
at Yarrow Place
• The provision of information about
medical, legal and counselling
rights and options
• Brief crisis counselling during crisis
response service
• Assisting clients to make informed
decisions
• Supporting the client through any
intervention process
• Advocating on behalf of the client
to other health and welfare
services and within the criminal
justice system
• On going therapeutic counselling
(telephone or face to face)
addressing the effects of sexual
violence (including court support
and preparation if needed)
©
A part of the Women’s & Children’s Health Network