The following organisations and helplines can support you in guiding the people you work with who may be affected by child sexual abuse to appropriate services. These may be helpful when someone requires specialised support beyond what we provide. Most of the services listed below are free. Where costs may apply, this is noted.
For adults concerned about someone else’s sexual thoughts and/or behaviour
PartnerSPEAK provides advocacy and support for non-offending partners, family members, friends or anyone else who is affected by a person’s involvement in child sexual abuse and child exploitation material.
Availability:
- Monday 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM AEST
- Tuesday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM AEST
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM AEST
- Thursday 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM AEST
Phone: 1300 590 589
Website: https://www.partnerspeak.org.au/
Free, compassionate, and confidential support for grief and loss. Griefline supports non-offending family members who are experiencing the complex grief that can arise when a someone close to them is imprisoned, including families impacted by child sexual abuse offences.
Availability – 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, 7 days a week (AEST/AEDT)
Phone: 1300 845 745
Website: https://griefline.org.au/
For victim-survivors of child sexual abuse
Counselling and support services for people affected by child sexual abuse.
Availability: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–4:30pm AEST (hours may vary on public holidays)
Phone: 1800 272 831
Chat: bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/counselling-and-support/
Website: https://bravehearts.org.au/
Support for people who have experiences of complex trauma, and those who support them.
Availability: 9am–5pm AEST/AEDT, 7 days a week (including public holidays)
Phone: 1300 657 380
Email: helpline@blueknot.org.au
Website: https://blueknot.org.au/ with a section for self-care advice and tips for survivors: Blue Knot self-care for survivors
Free, 24/7, confidential, trauma specialist counselling for people who have been subject to sexual, domestic and family violence, as well as their friends, colleagues and family members.
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 1800 385 578
Website: https://fullstop.org.au/
Support for male survivors of child sexual abuse.
Availability: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
Phone: 1800 4 SAMSN (72 676)
Website: https://www.samsn.org.au/
Support for people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse. Charges may apply.
Availability: Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm
Phone: 1800 737 377
Website: https://www.nationalredress.gov.au/
Knowmore provides free legal advice and support to survivors of child sexual abuse. This includes people who have experienced child sexual abuse in non-institutional settings, and people who were sexually abused in an institution or any organisation that was involved with children. Knowmore also works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including Stolen Generation survivors. Knowmore’s services include legal advice and assistance, support services, financial counselling and culturally safe supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Availability: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
Phone: 1800 605 762
Website: https://knowmore.org.au/
Free and confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 1800 55 1800
Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/
Visit Victim-survivors for further information for victim-survivors of child sexual abuse.
For general mental health support
Crisis and suicide prevention
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 13 11 14
Chat: www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/
Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/
Phone and online counselling for people affected by suicide.
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 1300 659 467
Chat: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling/
Website: https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Crisis support line for and run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 13 92 76
Email: enquiries@13yarn.org.au
Website: https://www.13yarn.org.au/
Mental health service for all Australians affected by anxiety, depression and suicide.
Availability: Phone: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Chat: 3:00 PM – 12:00 AM (midnight), 7 days a week (AEST/AEDT)
Phone: 1300 224 636
Chat: www.beyondblue.org.au/support-service/chat
Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Free 24/7 help, support, referrals & counselling services for men
Availability: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: 1300 78 99 78
Website: https://mensline.org.au
For children and young people
Support and counselling for those aged 5-25 years
Phone: 1800 551 800
Email: counsellor@kidshelpline.com.au
Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/
ReachOut is a free online mental health service for young people and their parents, available anytime.
Website: https://about.au.reachout.com/
Headspace is a confidential service. It is free to use, although call charges apply if you call from a mobile phone. You will have to register for the service using an email address but you don’t need to provide your full name. Once registered, you can access a range of personalised services such as chatting to a counsellor one-on-one, joining the online community, or building your own mental health toolkit.
Website: https://headspace.org.au/
Turning Corners, Bravehearts is a program for children and young people aged between 12 and 18 years of age who may be worried about their sexual behaviour or need help making safer choices The program provides counselling, education and support to help young people understand their behaviour, make positive changes and prevent harm.
Website: https://bravehearts.org.au/get-help/turning-corners/
What’s ok? Australia is a free, national, anonymous, service for young people (13-21) who are worried about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts and behaviours. What’s ok? Australia provides information and guidance on a number of topics including pornography use, illegal online behaviours (such as accessing child sexual abuse material), masculinity and rejection, consent and respectful relationships. From August a helpline service will also be available.
What’s OK is a free anonymous resource aimed at helping young people who may be worried about their sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. What’s OK provides tools and guidance to help young people with sexual safety, pornography concerns and what behaviour is acceptable and what isn’t.
Website: https://www.whatsok.org/about
Shore provides a safe, anonymous, and supportive resource for young people who may be concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts and behaviours. Shore offers advice, information, and tools to learn more about living safely both online and offline.
Website: https://shorespace.org.uk/
Wellbeing online and phone apps
There are a range of trusted digital tools and services that can help you manage your wellbeing. The below offer practical strategies, emotional support, and skills to help you cope with stress, low mood, or suicidal thoughts -many of which can be accessed at any time, and at your own pace.
A free app that helps people create a personalised safety plan for managing suicidal thoughts, including coping strategies, reasons for living, and contacts for support.
A mental health service and app supporting young people, offering resources, counselling, and tools to manage wellbeing, stress, and emotional challenges. Charge may apply.
Website: Headspace
A wellbeing app focused on sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction through guided meditations, breathing exercises, and mindfulness tools. Charges may apply.
Website: Calm
An interactive online program based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that helps users develop skills to manage depression, anxiety, and negative thinking patterns. Charges may apply.
Website: MoodGYM
On this website, “child” or “children” refers to anyone under the age of 18.