Sexual Violence Consult Service

ACON offers free consultation, training and guidance to services that provide support to LGBTQ+ people who have experienced sexual violence with the goal of strengthening service provision. LGBTQ+ people can face unique stigmas, discrimination and barriers to disclosing sexual violence. We can guide you in how to best respond and support.

This service is open to services providing support to LGBTQ+ communities anywhere in NSW, including:

• Sexual, domestic and family violence services
• Mental health services (including individual clinicians and peer workers)
• Alcohol and other drug services
• Disability services
• Sexual Health Services
• Community Support Services
• Housing and Homelessness Services
• Legal, Justice and Correctional Services
• Gender Affirmation Services
• Primary Care Services
• Ambulatory Services

and more. The Sexual Violence Consult Service is proudly funded by the NSW Government. The service has been funded through to 30 June 2025.

Combining professional and lived experience, we work with and alongside you towards providing a safer and more inclusive client experience for all. As a service provider, you can choose any or all of the following:

• 1 on 1 consultation: the consultants can contact you for 1 on 1 guidance on how to best support an LGBTQ+ person who has faced sexual violence presenting to your service. Individual level consults must be in relation to clients/patients based in NSW. Questions could, for example, revolve around inclusive safety plans, how and where to refer a client, how to navigate inclusive language and foster supportive environments.
• Policy review (including intake forms): the consultants can review your policies and forms, working with you to make these inclusive and affirming for LGBTQ+ people.
• Training: a deep dive training into LGBTQ+ sexual violence and how to respond as a service provider for your team. These training sessions can be held online or in person (including in NSW locations outside of Sydney) depending on your preference and our capacity.

Our dedicated team at ACON comprises friendly community health workers specialising in LGBTQ+ Sexual, Domestic, and Family Violence. Eager to foster positive changes for LGBTQ+ individuals in NSW, we are here to provide support and guidance to you and your service. We can discuss with you what suits you and your service best – be it online or in person.

Please note that our consultation service does not provide direct engagement with clients of your service(s).

Reach out to us:

To express your interest in this consult service, please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you within 2 business days. Please note, the final decision regarding which level of consultation and service the consult service will provide rests with ACON and is made based on need and capacity.

For more information, please contact the Sexual Violence Consult Service Lead Hamish Whelan via email healthyrelationships@acon.org.au