Since 1992, Queensland Health has provided community based information counselling and referral funded through the Sexual Assault Support and Prevention Program.
Queensland Health hospitals provide acute care for people who have been recently sexually assaulted.
Studies suggest women who have been sexually assaulted find social support and the availability of an empathetic confidant soon after the incident to be related to better coping and lower levels of somatic symptoms. Timely and sensitive responses to victims of sexual violence may decrease the incidence or severity of the short and long term health sequelae associated with it.
Victims who come into contact with the health system are likely to remain in contact long after other agencies have ceased involvement because of the possible medium and long health impact of violence on their physical and mental health and well-being.
People who do not disclose sexual assault in the immediate acute period may do so weeks, months or years later when they are seeking treatment or assistance for other health problems from medical and nursing staff in hospitals, general practitioners, psychiatrists and counsellors.
Some of the sequelae of violence against women, for example, somatic conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, may not manifest themselves for many years. Clients may not realise that there is any association between their past experience of violence and their present condition and so will not disclose it. In this case, the onus is on the health care provider to ask questions which help the client to disclose relevant information.
This page last updated:
27 July, 2006
Review date: July, 2007
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© The State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 2008.