Centre of Hope

The Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault provides vulnerable community members with a safe space, specialised care, and access to a wide range of outreach services with full confidentiality and at no cost.

We have dedicated staff who are very supportive of our clients and respectful of their dignity and support therapeutically what may benefit the family.

“Our Board has invested in professional development that gives our team a deep, specialised understanding of trauma from both a childhood and adult perspective. We often hear feedback from people who have appreciated the support that we have provided or where we have opened other pathways, such as community social health and wellbeing when services have not been accessible to them elsewhere. That kind of affirmation really fills your cup.

“Another important step has been diversifying our work into prevention and communication to reduce occurrences and impacts,” she adds.

A not-for-profit organisation funded primarily through the Victorian State Government’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, the Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault has offices located in Morwell, Bairnsdale, Warragul, and has recently added premises in Wonthaggi. It also co-locates with Quantum Support Service in Sale.

“Our network of client choice points allows us to provide a location response in communities throughout the region and include video and where appropriate outreach to schools,” Jane states.

The organisation’s main base is located within the Gippsland Multidisciplinary Centre at 31–41 Buckley Street, Morwell, a building which is co-located with Victoria Police.

“The MDC is a purpose-built shared facility where we have thirty of our GCASA staff including an intake team working in close consultation alongside twentyfour detectives from the Victoria Police Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team, Victim Assistance Program, and two nonclinical community health nurses on site,” Jane reveals.

“Having a range of agencies and specialised services under one roof is a tremendous advantage in aiding the effectiveness of the work we do.”

GCASA’s wide-ranging free and confidential services include, but are not limited to, individual counselling, after hours crisis support, family support, community education and prevention initiatives that inform and bring awareness to the key issues about prevention of sexual violence. Another important service is available to children and young people and their family through coming forward to report offences and from the police perspective that is viewed as a good thing because in the past it’s tended to be hidden under an iceberg.”

REFOCUS, working directly with children and young people who may present with harmful and of problematic behaviours. GCASA provides a youth outreach and counselling support to those young people seeking its services.

“The growth of the organisation has been really present during my time here. The Board has been focussing on the consolidation of our organisation and making sure that we have got all the things in place to accommodate and assist us in that growth. Part of that is that the need for our services is high unfortunately,” Jane notes.

Sexual assault can impact anyone in the community— male and female, young and old. It is a troubling statistic that one in three females and one in six males are impacted by sexual violence.

“It’s way too many,” Jane remarks.

Jane says it is important for people to be aware that there is no statute of limitation on sexual assault and importantly validating a person’s experience is essential to begin recovery.

“We do have people speak up who have not reported historical instances that occurred earlier in their lives. If we can get in early with children, then they are more likely to heal rather than hold in that trauma,” she comments.

GCASA made the move to its current home base at the Multidisciplinary Centre 10 years ago.

Jane joined the organisation in 2018, successfully applying for the CEO role at the encouragement of her predecessor.

She had previously spent two decades working with Berry Street in Morwell and had ascended to the position of Deputy Director.

“I’ve spent a lifetime with people who have shared their stories through my involvement in the community sector for working with children, young people and families over many years,” Jane reflects.

Although GCASA is a specialised service dealing with sexual assault there is at times some crossover with family violence matters with high reports of intimate partner violence.

GCASA has a total of 70 staff across all its centres in the region. The After-Hours Crisis Support team comprises 20 staff based at the Multidisciplinary Centre in Morwell and also working from its East Gippsland Office in Bairnsdale.

“We will respond anywhere in Gippsland,” Jane emphasises.

“People needing assistance afters hours, or weekends and public holidays should call 1800 806 292. It is an important number to remember or have on hand. The After-Hours Crisis Support team are accessible seven days a week from 5pm to 9am.”

Approximately 1500 people currently access GCASA’s services per year, a number that is trending upwards, “The opposite would be preferable of course,” Jane observes.

“Part of the reason for the increasing numbers is that more people are

GCASA has been operating since 1988, starting in a small house in Morwell close to where the current main office is located.

“Our organisation was born very much of a grass roots community owned approach with local people who got together and saw a need for a response to victims of sexual assault,” Jane states.

“Any organisation that is founded in the community builds trust, and people will reach out and ask for help. Living in Gippsland, we are fortunate to belong to a community that really cares about each other. It is about having community relationships and a community that protects its members. I also think there’s excellent leadership within our community at council level.”

“The CEO role at GCASA came at a time when I was actually looking at changing my career trajectory and planning to become a civil celebrant. However, my partner was encouraging and recognised it as an ideal opportunity for me, one that I should pursue despite that previous intention. My passion for the whole area of advocacy for children and young people and wellbeing has always been there.” »

Jane describes the role as having been challenging and also a privilege. She insists that the work she performs in leading GCASA’s operations would not be possible without the support of her team.

“It is very much a team effort. Our staff are bonded by their compassionate nature and ability to adopt an understanding, human approach. They love being in a space where they can help someone,” she states.

“Another wonderful thing about our team is that we just get on with doing what needs to be done, and we work really hard together. The culture within our team was recognised with us winning a Best Workplace Award (2024) from Engage, who gather feedback through staff surveys. It is an award we were very proud to receive.”

Although Jane is not the first person that people coming into the MDC for assistance from GCASA will see, she does take a hands-on approach to her work.

“We have a senior staff member on duty every day and sometimes that is me. I find it personally very rewarding whenever I interact directly with clients, but as CEO I take great comfort in the knowledge that we have a great team of dedicated staff doing tremendous work on the frontline that I trust,” she says.

According to Jane, the confidentiality attached to GCASA’s services is an important factor in encouraging people to share their experiences.

“We value the fact that they’ve had the confidence to reach out to us, and in turn, we need to ensure that we’re always available and accessible to help them or their family when needed,” she comments.

“Sharing can be therapeutic. We find often what happens when people share is that they have others who are willing to share with them, and they realise they are not alone. Even in instances where people choose not to end up reporting the matter to police for whatever reason, they will say they want someone to know and that is often enough for them just to have shared their story.”

Through its work, GCASA appreciates that talking about sexual assault with others and highlighting the issue can help break down barriers and reduce feelings of shame.

“We are able to actively do this at a local level, but the issue is a worldwide problem,” Jane observes.

“April was International Sexual Assault Awareness Month all around the world. We are strongly part of a whole global network of people doing this kind of work.”

Being a not-for-profit organisation, GCASA welcomes donations or any financial assistance from the government and business sectors or private individuals at any time.

“An example of where support from government organisations or other joint efforts from community members would help is with our idea to develop a Centre of Excellence, which is a concept that we’re currently testing for feasibility,” Jane explains.

“It is still a glimmer of an idea that was originally conceived by our former Chair, Geraldine Jones that we’ve since been brainstorming. A Centre of Excellence may or may not take the bricks and mortar form of a physical building or place. It could just as easily be an approach to the way that we frame our work, or it could be a combination of both.

“The concept is really about how we as an organisation can improve our approach to the prevention and response to sexual violence in a way that is considered best practice. This could involve better access to research and development, and the ongoing professional development of our staff. We see it as a total organisational response. People may have an interest in contributing to the finances and resources that are needed to turn it from an idea into reality.”

Jane says the personal satisfaction of working in a setting such as GCASA prevails over the challenging environment.

“At times we may take for granted what we do as a team but there are many particular cases that really touch your heart because we are compassionate by nature,” she comments.

“Part of what has warmed me since coming here is coming into contact with very vulnerable children being brave and trusting enough to share, and when they do, we then have an obligation to help keep them safe. Whenever we hear children’s laughter in the centre, it always brings us so much joy.”

GCASA’s Acknowledgement of Sexual Assault and Family Violence Survivors/Victims

"We acknowledge all people who have been impacted by sexual harm and family violence, either long, past or more recent. We acknowledge your journey and strengths, and the impacts experienced by you, your families, and your support people. We want you to know we see you; we listen without judgement, and we believe you."

NEED HELP?

GCASA provides a free and confidential service available to anyone in Gippsland who has ever experienced sexual assault.

Visit us

Multidisciplinary Centre

31–41 Buckley Street, Morwell,

GCASA office

67 Grant Street, Bairnsdale, 95 Albert Street, Warragul, 85 Watt Street, Wonthaggi

Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm

Phone and after hours

CASA/Sexual Assault Crisis 1800 806 292

Family violence assistance, contact Safe Steps 1800 015 188.

Sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling and information referral service (24 hours)

1800 RESPECT.

If in immediate danger, call 000

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