Crisis support at the RCH
Counselling and emotional support
If you decide to come into The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Emergency Department after being sexually assaulted or sexually harmed, a Gatehouse clinician can come and support you, no matter what time of day. This might include providing emotional and
psychological support to you while you are in at the hospital, making sure you feel safe and you have a safe adult in your life, and talking about ongoing options such as counselling.
If you have been sexually assaulted, you might need medical care and might choose to have a forensic medical examination (FME)
Medical care
If you come into the RCH after experiencing sexual harm, you might need medical care. This might include:
- Treatment and care for any physical injuries.
- Giving you any medication you might need, including emergency contraception (birth control).
- Arranging any additional medical procedures or tests you might need, e.g. a test for a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
Forensic medical examination
Like reporting to the police, having one of these is your choice. A forensic medical examination might help with any enquiries into your sexual assault and might include:
- Collection of evidence – DNA
- Photographing any injuries or physical evidence of an assault – such as cuts and bruises.
A Gatehouse clinician can support you through this process if you want to. They can also give you more information about what will happen and answer any questions if you are not sure or are worried about anything.
Accessing crisis support following sexual assault
- (03) 9345 6391 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
- 1800 806 292 (At nighttime, on weekends or on public holidays)
- Call 000 if you are in immediate danger