Health professionals play a key role in supporting people who disclose experiences of sexual violence. For those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), refugee, asylum-seeking, or temporary visa-holding backgrounds, disclosure can be especially challenging due to factors like cultural stigma, language barriers, or fears about immigration status.
To help health professionals provide sensitive and effective care, Prosper Project Australia has developed the We Are Survivors (WAS) campaign. This initiative offers free resources, including tip sheets and webinars, aimed at addressing the unique needs of survivors and equipping practitioners with practical strategies to support them.
Sami from Campbelltown: “I told the nurse what happened, and she said, ‘That sounds complicated. Maybe you should talk to someone else.’ I felt like no one wanted to help me.”
The barriers survivors face
Survivors from CALD+ communities face several barriers when seeking help. Cultural stigma can make disclosing an assault feel shameful or socially isolating, and language barriers may prevent survivors from expressing their experience clearly. Many survivors, particularly refugees or those on temporary visas, fear reporting their assault due to concerns about deportation, legal repercussions or loss of financial support if the perpetrator is someone they rely on.
Health professionals are often the first point of contact for survivors. Their response can determine whether survivors feel safe and supported enough to continue seeking the care and assistance they need.
Executive Director of Prosper Project Australia, Karen Craigie, explains the role health professionals play in supporting survivors:
“Survivors from CALD and refugee communities face unique barriers to disclosing sexual violence. Health professionals are often the first people they turn to, and how we respond in those initial moments is deeply important when building trust and making sure survivors feel heard and supported after what is an incredibly traumatic experience for them.”
Aisha from Ashfield: “When I told my GP about the assault, she looked uncomfortable and changed the subject to my physical symptoms. It made me feel like what happened was not important, and I felt embarrassed.”
The resources available through the We Are Survivors campaign provide health professionals with skills to respond to disclosures in a way that acknowledges and validates the survivor’s experience. They guide practitioners on creating safe, private, and culturally respectful environments while also offering strategies to address common barriers such as fear of not being believed, language difficulties, or concerns about immigration. The campaign also highlights the appropriate use of interpreters to ensure confidentiality and provides practical advice on respecting survivors’ choices about whether or not to report an assault.
The tip sheet outlines different pathways, such as contacting support services, legal assistance, or using the NSW Sexual Assault Reporting Option (SARO), which allows survivors to share information with police anonymously without committing to legal action.
“Our goal is to give health professionals extra skills to respond sensitively and professionally so survivors feel heard and supported at every step,” Karen said.
Practical steps for practitioners
One of the key resources offered by the campaign is a tip sheet designed to help health professionals respond effectively to disclosures. It provides trauma-informed and culturally safe strategies that are straightforward to implement.
Key tips include:
- Create a safe space: Choose a private, quiet environment where survivors can feel secure to talk about their experiences.
- Acknowledge and validate: Reassure survivors that you believe them and recognise their courage in coming forward.
- Avoid assumptions: Understand that survivors may react in different ways due to trauma, including appearing calm or detached.
- Engage interpreters appropriately: Use trained interpreters if needed but avoid using family members to maintain confidentiality and reduce further distress.
- Provide clear information: Respect survivors’ decisions and provide non-judgemental guidance about their options, including medical care, counselling, and reporting mechanisms.
Resources available
The We Are Survivors campaign resources are available in six languages—Arabic, Bengali, Vietnamese, Hindi, English and Chinese—to ensure greater accessibility for CALD+ communities and health professionals.
Practitioners can access the free resources below:
Tip Sheet: A practical guide for responding to sexual violence disclosures.
On-demand webinars:
- Responding Sensitively and Effectively to Survivors of Sexual Violence
- Supporting Survivors Through Reporting and Help-Seeking
- Supporting the Recovery and Healing of Survivors of Sexual Violence
For more information and to access these resources, visit wearesurvivors.online.
**This initiative is funded by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. We are grateful for their support in sharing these resources to help health professionals navigate these important conversations with care and confidence.
