Seeking Support - Counselling and Support Services

New provisions in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) place a positive duty on organisations and businesses to take reasonable steps to eliminate the following behaviour as far as possible:

• discrimination on the ground of sex in a work context
• sexual harassment in connection with work
• sex-based harassment in connection with work
• conduct creating a workplace environment that is hostile on the ground of sex
• related acts of victimisation.

We refer to these behaviours as ‘unlawful behaviours’ in this factsheet.

This factsheet provides information about a selection of counselling and other support services.

Workers who experience or witness unlawful behaviours may experience psychological, emotional or physical reactions which impact on their overall wellbeing. Responses can range from mild to severe; they can occur immediately after the experience or manifest sometime later. Everyone reacts to stress and trauma differently. Appropriate support can help a person to recover and reduce short-term and long-term harms that may result.

Support can be informal, such as talking to a trusted friend and it can also be more formal, by accessing external, confidential counselling. The organisations listed in this factsheet can provide free, confidential support and advice.

If you need an interpreter, call the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) on 131 450. If you are deaf and/or find it hard hearing or speaking with people who use a phone, the National Relay Service (NRS) can help you. For support options visit the National Relay Service website.

If you, or someone else, is in immediate danger you should call the police on 000. If you have experienced sexual assault and feel you would like to make a report to the police, click here for the relevant state and territory police contacts. If there is no immediate danger but you or someone else needs police assistance, phone 131 444.