Why get a health check?
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or abused, it’s a good idea to have a medical check up to see if you have any injuries that need treatment. If you are a woman, it’s also important to check if you are pregnant. You may need to have emergency contraception to avoid pregnancy.
Sexual assault
Generally speaking, sexual assault is any type of unwanted sexual behaviour that makes someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated or afraid.
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is when children or young people are harmed, not protected or not taken care of. Child abuse can happen in many ways, for example: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual abuse, Neglect.
You may also need:
- Medication to prevent diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis B.
- A follow-up appointment to test for sexually transmitted infections.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)is used to stop you developing HIV. PEP is usually given within the first 72 (3 days) hours after the assault.
Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin is given to people who are at risk of contracting Hepatitis B and have not been vaccinated.
If you don’t want to talk about a rape, you can say you had unprotected sex and that is why you need the tests done.
Sometimes people feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk to a doctor about these sorts of issues. There are specialist clinics that give free sexual health checks for young people:
- The Action Centre in Victoria 1800 013 952.
- The Melbourne Sexual Health Clinic 1800 032 017.
To arrange a medical checkup, you can also speak with:
- A sexual assault Counsellor
- Contact a Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) – phone 1800 806 292
Who is a counsellor?
A professional who has been specially trained to support people who have been sexually assaulted or abused. The Counsellor can also speak with medical and legal services on your behalf if this is what you want.
Keeping it confidential
Mostly, the doctor won’t tell anyone else what you’ve said. But in some situations the doctor might need to:
- Tell your parents.
- Report what has happened to you to the police or child protection services.
Victorian Child Protection Emergency Service contact number 13 1278. More on this see Department of Human Services
This is called Mandatory Reporting. The law says that some professionals must make a report when a child or young person is at risk of being harmed.
Links
- Consenting (agreeing) to medical treatment - Legal Aid web site
- Mandatory Reporting in Victoria
- Mandatory Reporting across Australia
For more informationFor more information about this or to contact the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault go to the SECASA website. |
