Helplines in Queensland, Australia.

Are you experiencing sexual abuse, assault or harassment? Contact a free hotline in Queensland, Australia for confidential support

Regardless of whether you're a woman, man or child in Queensland, Australia, if someone has used coercion, power or force to make you engage in unwanted sexual activity, you were a victim of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is a form of sexual violence, which is any sexual activity without consent. Other forms of sexual violence are sexual assault, such as rape and unwanted touching, and sexual harassment, which is unwelcome sexual behavior.

There are many people throughout the world who struggle to overcome the aftermath of sexual violence. If you are one of them, getting the right kind of help can make all the difference. In Queensland, Australia there are 3 hotlines you can contact for support with sexual abuse, assault or harassment. Reach out if you have experienced any of the following:

Examples of sexual violence:

• Repeated unwanted sexual attention or advances, including in your workplace or by your employer
• Catcalls and whistles that make you feel uncomfortable or objectified
• An organ or an object being put into your vagina (rape), or anus or mouth (sodomy), without your consent
• Being forced or coerced to have sex without protection from sexually transmitted diseases
• Being spoken to in a sexual way that you find offensive or degrading
• Being used sexually while you were very drunk, drugged, unconscious, or unable to say NO
• Being used sexually in a way that is humiliating
• Being kissed or touched without your consent or being made, by coercion or force, to touch or kiss someone

Effects of sexual violence:

• Feeling dirty, damaged, and broken
• Feeling unsafe and scared that it would happen again
• Minimizing the abuse as not being as severe as someone else’s
• Feeling guilty about the sexual abuse
• Not being able to fall or stay asleep
• Losing trust in people in general
• Engaging in self-harm or self-mutilation
• Changes (either loss or increase) in your appetite

Everyone responds to experiencing sexual violence differently. It’s perfectly normal to go through very different emotions in a single day. Still, trying to cope with this on your own can be extremely difficult.

After surviving sexual violence, you might believe no one will understand your feelings. However, there are people in Queensland, Australia who will give their best to understand you. Speaking freely about what you experienced could help you heal faster.

If you feel like you might need support with your experience of sexual violence, try reaching out to a hotline in Queensland, Australia. It's free and confidential.