Your first priority is to make sure you are safe. You have the right to always feel safe, and the right to call the police if you are in danger. If you are not safe, you should contact the police or someone you trust in your family or community.
EMERGENCY: 000
No immediate danger but wanting police presence: 131 444
Some sexual assaults can be violent and result in dangerous injuries. They can also result in shock, and you may not feel pain right away. If you are severely bleeding, have an injury to the head or neck or were unconscious at any stage, have difficulty breathing, or have chest pain, please do not hesitate to call for an ambulance on 000.
If you are unsure about what to do, or do not want to go to hospital by yourself or want help from someone other than a friend or family member, please contact us at the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC) on 02 6247 2525. We provide crisis support through our telephone service between 7.00am and 11.00pm, 7 days a week every day of the year, including Christmas and public holidays.
We also have a Memorandum of Understanding with Police and the Forensic Medical Sexual Assault Care (FAMSAC) Service, whereby we can be contacted 24 hours a day to attend the hospital or police station and provide support to victims who report or need a medical/forensic examination during or outside normal business hours.
Our workers are trained in providing support, crisis counselling and advocacy, and we can help you through these processes and make sure your rights and wishes are heard and respected. We encourage you to speak with us, you have rights (see ) and sometimes talking to someone impartial can help you to work out what you want to do and we will support you in the decisions you make.
Sometimes a person may be clear that what they have experienced is sexual assault, and other people may be unsure. Anyone who has experienced something of a sexual nature which they did not freely agree to or were unable to agree to, has experienced sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual harassment or sexual abuse.
If you know you have been sexually assaulted or you are unsure, you can speak with a counsellor at the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre (CRCC) to discuss your feelings and the impacts and effects of what has happened to you. If you would like, we can arrange some counselling at the Centre for you, or an appropriate referral.
For all emergencies please call 000
Australian Federal Police on 131 444
Canberra Rape Crisis Centre (02) 6247 2525 - 7am to 11pm, 7 days a week for support, information or advocacy.
Text Only 0488 586 518 for hearing impaired & SMS messages
National Relay Service (NRS) 13 2544 or Freecall 1800 067 167
Telephone Interpreter Service 131 450 (available for people for whom English is a second language)
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