Thursday, 30 October 2025

 Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (09:58): Over the last few months I have had multiple meetings with the amazing women who are working at the Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault, a not-for-profit sexual assault counselling service operating out in the western suburbs. I met Annette and Anna and was absolutely moved by the way that they care for the people that they serve and the amazing service that they provide. One of the things that was sad to hear was that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says that only 27 per cent of victim-survivors of sexual violence seek help from a service like that. I just wanted to say that when I was a young university student, I accessed Northern CASA. People may not know this, but victim-survivors of sexual assault often suffer depression and PTSD, are more likely to do drugs and end up in prostitution, and find it very difficult to trust and build bonding relationships with their spouse or their children. I can honestly say that due to the wonderful care that I received at Northern CASA none of those fates ended up happening to me. I can only commend this government for the funding that they give to organisations like this, and I ask that they increase the funding due to the great demand.