Support & Services
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It can be difficult if you have experienced workplace sexual harassment to identify and navigate support services that may be available to you. Support services can play a vital role in reducing the ongoing harm of sexual harassment by providing an opportunity to feel understood and validated, and by potentially decreasing the likelihood and severity of negative psychological outcomes.
Below is a list of support services that may be able to assist you.
Sexual harassment and sexual assault support services
1800RESPECT
1800RESPECT is a telephone and online counselling and support service for people who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, sexual, domestic or family violence, including workplace sexual harassment. You can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 and find more information on the 1800RESPECT website.
State and territory assistance
There are services available in each state and territory which can provide support to people affected by sexual assault.
- ACT:
- Canberra Rape Crisis Centre: https://crcc.org.au/contact-us/
- Canberra Sexual Health Centre: https://www.health.act.gov.au/services-and-programs/sexual-health/sexual-assault-care
- Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault: https://samssa.org.au/contact/
- NSW:
- Full Stop Australia’s NSW Sexual Violence Helpline: https://fullstop.org.au/contact-us
- NT:
- Sexual Assault Referral Centres: https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/hospitals-health-services/sexual-assault-referral-centres
- Queensland:
- Brisbane Rape & Incest Survivors Support Centre: https://brissc.org.au/contact/
- Sexual Assault Helpline: https://www.dvconnect.org/sexual-assault-helpline/
- SA:
- Yarrow Place Rape & Sexual Assault Service: https://www.wchn.sa.gov.au/our-network/yarrow-place
- Tasmania:
- Laurel House: https://laurelhouse.org.au/contact/
- Sexual Assault Support Service: https://www.sass.org.au
- Victoria:
- Sexual Assault Crisis Line: https://www.sacl.com.au/contact-us/
- Centres Against Sexual Assault: https://casa.org.au/contact-us/
- WA:
- Sexual Assault Resource Centre: https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/other-services/sarc
- Waratah Support Centre: https://www.waratah.asn.au/view/contact-us
Mental health support services
If you require mental health support, the below services may be able to provide free mental health assistance.
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue is a mental health and wellbeing support organisation, which can provide information and support to persons affected by depression and anxiety. You can contact Beyond Blue for 24/7 advice and support on 1300 224 636. You can find more contact information on the Beyond Blue website.
Headspace
Headspace can provide mental health and wellbeing support to young people aged 12 to 25 years. You can find contact information for Headspace on the Headspace website.
Lifeline
Lifeline is Australia’s leading suicide prevention service, which provides 24-hour crisis support to people experiencing personal crisis. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can find more contact information on the Lifeline website.
SANE
SANE offers connection and community to people with complex mental health issues including trauma. You can contact the SANE helpline on 1800 187 263 or at [email protected]. You can find more information on the SANE website.
Suicide Call Back Service
The Suicide Call Back Service provides free professional 24/7 telephone and online counselling support to people at risk of suicide, concerned about someone at risk of suicide, bereaved by suicide and people experiencing emotional or mental health issues. You can contact the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. You can find contact information on the Suicide Call Back Service website.
State and territory assistance
There are mental health phone lines available in each state and territory which can provide mental health support.
- ACT: Access Mental Health is a free telephone intake, referral and information service which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to all residents of the ACT. You can call the service on 1800 629 354 and find more information on the ACT Government Health website.
- NSW: The Mental Health Line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers professional help, advice and referrals to local mental health services to everyone in NSW. You can call the service on 1800 011 511 and find more information on the NSW Health website.
- NT: The Northern Territory Mental Health Line provides triaging and advice to people in mental health crisis. You can call the service on 1800 682 288 and find more information on the NT Government website.
- Queensland: 1300 MH CALL is a confidential mental health telephone triage service that provides the first point of contact to public mental health services to Queenslanders. You can call the service on 1300 642255 and find more information on the Queensland Government website.
- SA: The SA Health Mental Health Triage Service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides advice and information to people experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis situation. You can call the service on 13 14 65 and find more information on the SA Health website.
- Tasmania: The Mental Health Service Helpline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides referral pathway into public system mental health services. You can call the service on 1800 332 388 and find more information on the Tasmanian Government Department of Health website.
- Victoria: Head to Health provides access to trained mental health professionals who will assist in determining what support may best fit a person’s needs. You can call the service on 1800 595 212 and find more information on the Head to Health website.
- WA: The Mental Health Emergency Response Line is a 24-hour telephone service for people in the Perth metropolitan area experiencing a mental health crisis. You can call the service on 1300 555 788 and find more information on the Government of Western Australia Mental Health Commission website.
Legal services
If you require legal advice, you may be eligible to access free legal assistance from the below services.
Community legal centres
Community legal centres (CLCs) are independent community organisations that can provide free legal services to the public, depending on certain eligibility criteria. Each state and territory have their own directory of CLCs which you can use to locate your nearest CLC:
- ACT: https://www.acat.act.gov.au/what-to-expect/representation-and-advice/free-legal-advice-providers
- NSW: https://applications-au.neotalogic.com/a/clcnsw-recommendation-service
- NT: https://lawsocietynt.asn.au/nt-legal-directory/other-legal-links-1.html
- Queensland: https://www.communitylegalqld.org.au/
- SA: https://www.clcsa.org.au/community-legal-centres
- Tasmania: http://www.clctas.org.au/
- Victoria: https://www.fclc.org.au/find_a_community_legal_centre
- WA: https://www.communitylegalwa.org.au/findhelp
JobWatch
JobWatch is an independent, not-for-profit employment rights community legal centre supporting workers in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania with their rights at work. You can find contact information for JobWatch at: https://jobwatch.org.au/contact/.
Legal aid
Legal aid commissions can provide a range of services, including information, legal advice and representation in courts and tribunals. There is a legal aid commission in each state and territory and you can check whether you are eligible to access their services by contacting your relevant state or territory body:
- ACT: https://www.legalaidact.org.au/contact-legal-aid
- NSW: https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/get-legal-help
- NT: https://www.legalaid.nt.gov.au/need-help/
- Queensland: https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/Get-legal-help
- SA: https://lsc.sa.gov.au/contact
- Tasmania: https://www.legalaid.tas.gov.au/need-help/?
- Victoria: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/contact-us
- WA: https://www.legalaid.wa.gov.au/get-legal-help
Workplace Advice Service
The Workplace Advice Service is run by the FWC to provide free legal help to employees and employers on employment issues that involve dismissal, general protections, bullying or sexual harassment at work. You can find more information about the Workplace Advice Service on the Fair Work Commission website.
Other advocacy services
Union assistance
The Australian Unions Support Centre can provide free and confidential assistance to workers for all workplace issues, including in respect of their rights. You can find contact information for the Australian Unions Support Centre here: https://support.australianunions.org.au/hc/en-au/requests/new.
If you are a member of a union, you can contact your workplace union representative directly for support.
Working Women’s Centres
Working Women’s Centres are not-for-profit, community organisations that can provide information and support on work related issues to women employees and women who wish to work.
Working Women’s Centres are available to workers in:
- NT: https://www.ntwwc.com.au/contact
- Queensland: https://brq.org.au/working-women-qld/
- SA: https://wwcsa.org.au/contact/
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers
The following services may be able to provide free legal assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including in respect of employment, discrimination and human rights matters:
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services: https://www.natsils.org.au/
- Wirringa Baiya – Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre (NSW): https://www.wirringabaiya.org.au/
- North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NT): http://www.naaja.org.au/
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Legal Services North Queensland: https://www.atsiwlsnq.org.au/.
- Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service: https://www.vals.org.au/
- Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (SA): https://www.alrm.org.au/
- Tasmania Aboriginal Legal Service: https://tals.net.au/.
- Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia Limited: https://www.als.org.au/.
LGBTIQ+ workers
Counselling
The following services may be able to provide free counselling and support to LGBTIQ+ peoples:
- QLife (national service): https://qlife.org.au/get-help
- Meridian (ACT): https://www.meridianact.org.au/
- Uniting Communities Bfriend (SA): https://www.unitingcommunities.org/service/community-support/lgbtiqa-support
- Working It Out (Tasmania): https://www.workingitout.org.au/
- Western Australian AIDS Council (WAAC) – LGBTIQA+ Youth Counselling (WA): https://www.waac.com.au/what-we-do/counselling/lgbtqia-plus/.
Legal services
The following services may be able to provide free legal assistance to LGBTIQ+ peoples, including on employment, discrimination and human rights matters:
- Inner City Legal Centre (NSW): https://www.iclc.org.au/
- LGBTI Legal Service Inc (Queensland): https://lgbtilegalservice.org.au/
- Southside Justice (Victoria): https://lgbtiqlegal.org.au/.
Workers with disability
The following services may be able to provide free legal assistance to persons with disability, including on disability discrimination and human rights matters:
- Canberra Community Law (ACT): https://canberracommunitylaw.org.au/
- Australian Centre for Disability Law (NSW): https://disabilitylaw.org.au/
- Darwin Community Legal Service (NT): https://www.dcls.org.au/
- Cairns Community Legal Centre Inc (Queensland): https://www.cclc.org.au/
- Basic Rights Queensland: https://brq.org.au/
- South Australian Community Legal Centres: https://saccls.org.au/
- Launceston Community Legal Centre (Tasmania): https://www.lclc.net.au/
- Disability Discrimination Legal Service (Victoria): http://ddlsaustralia.org/
- Sussex Street Community Law Service (WA): http://www.sscls.asn.au/.
Young workers (people aged 25 and under)
Kids Helpline
Kids Helpline is a free, confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. You can contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or at [email protected]. You can find more information at: https://kidshelpline.com.au/.
Legal services
The following services may be able to provide free legal assistance to young workers, including about workplace rights:
- Youth Law Australia: https://yla.org.au/contact-us/.
- Young Workers Centre (Victoria): https://www.youngworkers.org.au/
- Young Workers Centre (ACT): https://youngworkerscbr.org.au/
Police services
If you believe the workplace sexual harassment you experienced involves criminal conduct, including actual or attempted sexual assault, you can report the matter to police.
The Police Assistance Line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and allows the reporting of crime over the phone with the information being immediately available to your local police. You can call the service on 131 444 and find more information at https://www.aic.gov.au/contact-us/report-crime.