Surging referrals since Pell conviction

It is wonderful to see the announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister Kelly O’Dwyer that $338 million is being allocated to family violence.  However, sexual assault centres are struggling with the fall-out from the publicity surround George Pell’s conviction for child sex offences.  Whilst some sexual assault occurs in family violence situations a large proportion of sexual assault is not related to family violence.  The recent publicity has caused a surge in telephone calls to CASAs and also an increase in ex clients contacting services following their past difficulties with their own childhood sexual assaults re-emerging. There have been unusually graphic details about the actual sexual abuse in the media.  This is always an issue for people who have experienced similar abuse.

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