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Support services
If you have experienced domestic, family or sexual violence it's important to know that support is available.
This page explains the kinds of services available to you, including:
- Domestic and family violence support services
- Sexual assault and violence support services
- Advocates for older people and people with disability
- Support services for particular groups
- Broader health services
On the other tabs of this section you will find information on support services for money and finance and housing.
What services are available to me?
Australia has many services to support people affected by violence and abuse. These services can help you when dealing with:
- Domestic and family violence
- Sexual violence and assault
- Legal issues such as going to court or reporting to the police
- Worries about money and finances
- Not knowing where you will live or how you will pay your rent or mortgage
- Worries about the safety and wellbeing of children
Below are descriptions of the kinds of services available to you.
Domestic and family violence
There are many services in Australia that give support to people experiencing or escaping from domestic or family violence.
Support might include things like:
- Listening to your experience
- Giving you information
- Counselling
- Supporting you with going to the doctor and medical appointments
- Putting you in touch with the best services for you
- Helping you work through any financial worries
- Supporting you in court
- Helping with things you might find hard to do, like filling out legal forms.
Each state and territory offers different types of services. See our Service Directory for services in your state. Support is available: you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit our website for online chat and video call services.
Sexual violence and assault
There are a range of services available to people who have experienced sexual violence and assault. These services include:
- Counselling
- Medical support
- Legal support
- Childhood sexual abuse support
- Crisis support.
Each state and territory offers different types of services. See our Service Directory for services in your state. Support is available: you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit our website for online chat and video call services.
Advocates for older people and people with disability
What is an advocate?
An advocate is someone who supports you to work out issues or problems. Advocates don’t make decisions for you or tell you what to do. They are there to support your needs. They keep your information private and only release information with your permission.
Why would I need an advocate?
There are different types of advocates for different needs. An advocate can provide extra support for you and help you understand the system. They can explain or help to find out your rights and responsibilities when it comes to legal, health or financial issues. They can help you find the right services to support you. An advocate may also be able to support you by going with you to court, medical or legal appointments, or to the police.
Sometimes the people you would normally rely on for support are violent or abusive and this may be another reason for seeking out an advocate.
Advocates for older people
Throughout Australia there are a range of advocates for older people. The services that provide advocacy for older people are different in each state. Find out more about advocacy services that support the rights of anyone receiving or seeking to receive aged care services, and empower older people to make informed decisions about their care, on the My Aged Care website. For more information about navigating abuse in older people, please visit the Compass website.
Advocates for people with disability
Visit the Department of Social Services website to read about the National Disability Advocacy Program. You can also see our Service Directory for advocacy services in your area.
Services for particular groups
Everyone's experience of domestic, family or sexual violence is different. There are a range of services in Australia that can support the particular needs of different groups.
Some services have specialist understanding of the needs of migrant, refugee and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities. These services can:
- Support you with someone who speaks your language and understands your culture
- Provide confidential crisis and support service
- Refer you to emergency accommodation services
- Help you find the best people and services to help you
- Offer counselling.
To find migrant, refugee and CALD services in your area, see our Service Directory or you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit our website for online chat and video call services.
If you require translation services, you can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 and ask for an interpreter, or call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to contact 1800RESPECT. Find more information here.
Some services have a special understanding of the needs of people living with disability. These services can offer a range of different support, including
- Advocacy
- Helping you understand your rights
- Legal support
- Housing
- Carers and assistance
- Financial support
- Domestic, family and sexual violence support
- Counselling.
Disability advocacy services
A disability advocate is someone who supports a person living with disability to help work out issues or problems. Disability advocates don’t make decisions for you or tell you what to do. They are there to support your needs.
They keep your information private and only release information with your permission.
Visit the Department of Social Services website to read about the National Disability Advocacy Program. You can also see our Service directory for advocacy services in your area.
Some services have a special understanding of the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The types of support offered by different services might include
- Help with legal issues
- Support with health concerns
- Assistance with your housing situation
- Dealing with a crisis
- Support to deal with family violence
- Support regarding concerns for the safety and well-being of children
These services may provide support to:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are parents of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- Non-Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples who have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners
To search for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services, see our Service directory. You can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit our website for online chat and video call services for a referral to the best support service for you.
Some services have a special understanding of the needs of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their communities. The types of support offered by different services might include:
- Counselling
- Legal advice and support
- Referrals and connecting you with services
- Accommodation and housing
- Health and wellbeing
To find LGBTQIA+ support services in your area, see our Service Directory. You can call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit our website for online chat and video call services for a referral to the best support service for you.
Broader health services
The healthcare sector may be able to provide support for your specific needs too.
For health information and advice online and over the phone you can call 1800 022 222 or visit healthdirect.gov.au. Healthdirect is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
1800RESPECT is a Healthdirect Information Partner listed alongside other Australian health organisations that provide information, resources and support. Find more information about 1800RESPECT’s listing on Healthdirect here.
