24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline
Call 000 if you are in danger
24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline
Call 000 if you are in danger
Sexual Assault Helpline is Queensland’s dedicated free helpline for anyone who has experienced sexual assault. Call to talk
to a specialist counsellor – we can help with counselling, information, general advice, and referrals to other services.
If you are in immediate danger or are injured, call 000 immediately. Once you are safe, you can contact Sexual Assault Helpline for support.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone, and it is never your fault. Reaching out for support is a brave step. Our Sexual Assault Helpline team are specialist counsellors who will listen to you and believe you.
If you have experienced sexual assault, the first 72 hours can feel especially overwhelming. Please know that you do not have to go through it alone.
These are some suggestions for what you might want to do in the first few days. You do not have to do any of them if you don’t want to. It is your choice, and you should do whatever feels right for you.
If you are bleeding or injured and need urgent medical attention, please call 000.
Remember, what happened is not your fault.
You deserve support, safety, and care.
You can choose what is right for you.
You can speak with a counsellor about your options, medical care, reporting choices, and support services. You can also access counselling and therapeutic support. This is a free and confidential service available to anyone in Queensland.
A medical professional can help you after you have experienced sexual assault. You may choose to have a forensic examination (sometimes called a “rape kit”). This is usually done at a hospital, and can collect evidence from DNA or injuries. It can also include medical care, STI prevention, pregnancy prevention, and support.
You could also have a general medical examination, where you would discuss your health concerns with your doctor but wouldn’t collect evidence. This could be a physical examination, or just a discussion. You can typically do this with any doctor, including your GP.
Sexual Assault Helpline counsellors can help you understand these different options.
You can report to police immediately, later, or not at all — the choice is yours.
If you are unsure about making a formal report, Queensland also offers an Alternative Reporting Option (ARO). This allows you to share information about the assault with police, anonymously if you choose, without starting an investigation or going to court. Information shared through AROs may help police identify repeat offenders and protect the community.
Anyone who has been impacted by sexual assault and currently lives in Queensland can call Sexual Assault Helpline. It doesn’t matter how long ago the assault was or where it happened.
Sexual assault is never your fault, and you are not alone. You deserve to heal and recover. We can help you on your journey.
When you call, we will discuss the options that are available to you. This might include counselling over the phone, information, advice, or referrals to other services and supports.
Trauma can be difficult to manage, and you might experience trauma symptoms many years after the assault. This is normal, and we are here to help you. A Sexual Assault Helpline counsellor can help you with different strategies and tools that may be useful on your healing journey.
Even if you are unsure if you have experienced sexual assault, you can still call us. We will listen to you and give you advice.
Sexual assault can include any sexual activity that happens without consent. Consent should come from an enthusiastic ‘yes’ – if someone has pressured or coerced you, didn’t listen if you changed your mind, or kept going when you said ‘no,’ that is not okay.
Sexual assault can include touching, kissing, sex, someone doing sexual things to you or making you do sexual things when you didn’t want to or when you didn’t freely agree to. The person who used sexual violence might be your partner, spouse, relative, friend, coworker or a stranger. It does not matter what sort of relationship you have – if someone pressures or forces you to do any sexual activity, that is not okay.
To speak with someone about your experience, call Sexual Assault Helpline.
When you call Sexual Assault Helpline, a brief message will play first, then a counsellor will answer. Sometimes you might have to wait a short time for the next available counsellor. You can stay anonymous if you wish.
The counsellor will listen to your reason for calling and establish if you have any immediate safety concerns. You may be given a few different options depending on your needs, including counselling over the phone, information, general advice and referrals to other services. A counselling session with Sexual Assault Helpline typically goes for 30 to 60 minutes.
Our service is confidential. We will explain if there are any situations where we may need to share information because of immediate safety concerns or legal obligations.
Call us if you’ve experienced sexual assault – recently, in the past, even if you’re unsure. We’re here to support you.
Calling us does not mean you have to report to police, have a forensic examination or make any decisions immediately.
Anyone who has experienced sexual assault, regardless of gender or sexuality, can call Sexual Assault Helpline. If you are currently in QLD you can call, regardless of your visa status – if you are a tourist, immigrant, refugee, or on a working holiday, you can call.
If you were sexually assaulted in Queensland but now live interstate, you can still call Sexual Assault Helpline. We can help you navigate Queensland-specific systems and services.
