Support Resources
“There will never be a time when I am not recovering”
– Chelsea Williams
The sexual violence journey encompasses so much more than the police and judicial processes. The trauma of an assault challenges us to draw on every strength and resource available to us in order to find a way forward.
You might not ever feel the same, you might always be grieving for the ‘you’ that existed before your trauma. Megan Devine tells us, “some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried.”
But you will be okay.
Here are some of our favourite resources to assist you in healing.
Books
- Know My Name, Chanel Miller
- I Choose Elena, Lucia Osborne-Crowley
- Trauma and Recovery, Judith Herman
- The Body Remembers, Babette Rothschild
- See What You Made Me Do, Jess Hill
- Witness, Louise Milligan
- Eggshell Skull, Bri Lee
- The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk
- Not That Bad, Roxane Gay
- My Body Keeps Your Secrets, Lucia Osborne-Crowley
- The Mother Wound, Amani Haydar
- Victims No Longer, Mike Lew
- Dear Sister: Letters From Survivors of Sexual Violence, edited by Lisa Factora-Borchers
- Love, Bruises and Bullsh!t, compiled by Sheree Schonian and Yasmin Walter
- Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again, Katherine Angel
- On Violence and On Violence Against Women, Jacqueline Rose
- The Way We Survive: Notes on Rape Culture, Catriona Morton
- Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl, Jeannie Vanasco
- Surviving the Legal System, Caroline Taylor
- Restoring Hope and Trust: An Illustrated Guide to Mastering Trauma, Kay Kelly, Lisa Lewis and Jon G. Allen
- How Many More Women?, Jennifer Robinson and Keen Yoshida
- System Failure: The Silencing of Rape Survivors, Michael Bradley
- She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
- Legitimate Sexpectations: The Power of Sex-Ed, Katrina Marson
- Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men, Lundy Bancroft
- The Verbally Abusive Relationship, Patricia Evans
Podcasts
- The Trap, Jess Hill
- Reclaim Me, Madi Heather
- Ladies, We Need to Talk, Yumi Stynes
- Everybody Knows, Ruby Jones
- The Radical Therapist, Chris Hoff
- The Brigid Project Podcast, Anni and Bron
- Tender, Madison Griffiths and Beth Atkinson-Quinton
- Respectful Relationships, Caroline Speakman and Gina Haramis
- No Laughing Matter, Tanya Lee
- Sex and Consent, Dr Mardi Wilson and Lizzy Keen
- What They Don’t Say, Lauren and Shannon
Support Services
- National Sexual Assault Service Directory
- 1800RESPECT Service Directory
- Full Stop Australia
- SAMSN
- Bravehearts
- QLife
- Blue Knot Foundation
- Mission Australia Court Support Service
- Zahra Foundation
- eSafety Commissioner (for intimate image-based abuse)
- Umi Chatbot (for intimate image-based abuse)
- Victims and Witnesses of Crime Court Support (NSW)
- InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence (VIC)
- Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (NSW, with limited ability to assist victims outside of NSW, and links to immigration-specific supports in other jurisdictions)
- Sunny app, Women With Disability Australia
- Good Shepherd Financial Independence Hub
- Sex Workers Outreach Project
Legal Services
- Violet Co Legal & Consulting
- Donaldson Law
- knowmore
- Women’s Legal Services Australia
- Legal Aid
- National Family Violence and Prevention Legal Services (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations delivering legal and non-legal support)
- Sex work laws in Australia
Government Victim Support Schemes
Other
- Insight Exchange
- Safe and Equal
- NSW Education Centre Against Violence (downloadable booklets)
- A Guide to Supporting Victims of Crime Through Court, Court Network (QLD)
- Court Network (QLD and VIC)
- The Compassionate Mind Foundation
- Rhythm of Regulation
- Yoga with Adriene (for PTSD and suffering)
- Heart Rate Variability Training, Macquarie Institute
- Supporting Survivors, The Survivors Trust
- Say It Out Loud, ACON’s DFSV website
- TransHub
- Scarlet Alliance: Australian Sex Workers Association
- Neve, Women With Disability Australia
