Resources

CW: mentions of sexual assault and harrasment, no explicit detail

We’ve compiled a number of websites to relevant organisations based in Melbourne, Australia, or internationally. If you know an organisation that should be listed here, please contact us at womens@union.unimelb.edu.au

Resources for women, non-binary and gender diverse students

The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault aims to improve access to current information and resources in order to assist those committed to working against sexual assault.

The Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearing House is a national organisation, providing high quality information about domestic and family violence issues and practice. The primary goal of the Clearinghouse is to prevent domestic and family violence. We do this by supporting specialist and generalist service providers, government agencies, researchers, advocates and activists in their efforts, through the dissemination of information and research, and through facilitating discussion.

Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia (CATWA) is the Australian branch of CATW International, a Non Governmental Organisation which works locally and internationally to end all forms of sexual exploitation of women, especially the violence of prostitution, trafficking and pornography.

Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) are available to all currently enrolled students and staff at the University of Melbourne. These services are free and confidential.

Elizabeth Hoffman House is a refuge with the primary function of providing emergency shelter for Aboriginal women and their children in need of care due to domestic violence. Run for Aboriginal women, by Aboriginal women.

The Immigrant Women’s Support Service (IWSS) gives voice and provides culturally sensitive services, statewide, to meet the needs of women and children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds (CALD) backgrounds affected by domestic violence.

International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) is an Australian non-profit organisation that creates positive change for women and their communities. Our practical and rights-based projects directly address poverty and oppression in developing countries.

Melbourne Genderqueer is social and peer support for people who don’t fit into the gender norms, the Gender Questioning, the Genderqueer and Transgender people just like you who need somewhere to go to feel accepted as human beings, with your gender as fluid as you wish. You’ll also find people who help and accept us for who we are.

Multicultural Centre for Women's Health (MCWH) is a community-based, grassroots non-for-profit organisation led by, for and with women from migrant and refugee backgrounds. They provide multilingual programs and resources to women from multicultural communities to increase their health and wellbeing opportunities and outcomes.

The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC) is a coalition of organisations and individuals which aims to promote women’s equality before the law in Australia.

Scarlet Alliance – the Australian Sex Workers Association – through their objectives, policies and programs, aims to achieve equality, social, legal, political, cultural and economic justice for past and present workers in the sex industry, in order for sex workers to be self-determining agents, building their own alliances and choosing where and how they work.

The Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) is a state-wide, after-hours, confidential, telephone crisis counselling service for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault. They play a role in supporting and advocating for people who have experienced sexual violence and are passionate about and committed to working towards the prevention of violence in all its forms.

UMSU Sexual Harm Response Coordinators work with the UMSU Advocacy service and can provide support with making complaints to the University, reporting to the police, and appropriate referrals to therapeutic services.

UN Women [the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women] came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault is the peak body of the 15 Centres Against Sexual Assault, and the Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line (after hours). Together we work to ensure that women, children and men who are victim/survivors of sexual assault have access to comprehensive and timely support and intervention to address their needs. We also work towards the elimination of sexual violence through community and professional education, informing government policy, advocating for law reform and facilitating research to increase community understanding of the nature and incidence of sexual assault.

Women with Disabilities Victoria is an organisation made up of women with disabilities who support women with disabilities to achieve their rights in Victoria. Their vision is “a world where all women are respected and can fully experience life”. Their mission is to lead the way for Victorian women with disabilities and to improve women’s choices by building partnerships and providing support, information and community education.

WIRE (Women’s Information and Referral Exchange Inc.) is the only Victoria-wide free generalist information, support and referral service run by women for women. They offer a range of gender-specific training programs, and also research and advocate for women’s issues such as financial literacy and economic security, out-of-school-hours childcare, work-life balance and violence against women.

Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service Victoria (WDVCS) is the Victorian State-wide service for women experiencing violence and abuse from a partner or ex-partner, another family member or someone else you are close to. The WDVCS is staffed by women and you can call confidentially 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Women’s Health West is committed to improving equity and justice for women in Melbourne’s diverse western region. We support individual women and communities, and work collaboratively with government and other agencies across the West and statewide.

Women’s Legal Service Victoria (WLSV) is a statewide legal service for women, specialising in relationship breakdown and violence against women. WLSV provides face to face legal services, including court representation, telephone legal advice and referral, legal education, and law reform activities on issues affecting women and their legal rights.