WestCASA (Western Centre Against Sexual Assault) has received a grant to partner with LaTrobe University in an initiative aimed at enhancing engagement with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in the west.
The Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence Project will focus on community-led primary and secondary prevention interventions.
The project will evaluate and assess various strategies to address the drivers and reinforcing factors of sexual violence in the community.
WestCASA CEO Annette Vickery said “This is a significant milestone for WestCASA and for the communities we serve.”
“For the first time, we will be able to financially and academically support our efforts to reach the most vulnerable members of our community – those who may face additional challenges in speaking out or accessing support.”
The program will examine which elements of existing and emerging intervention tactics are most effective in addressing the root causes of sexual violence, aiming to improve services, policies, and community strategies across diverse communities.
One of the key outcomes targeted in this project is to improve the ability of victim survivors to engage with their own community leaders, in an effort to ensure support services are culturally relevant, accessible and effective.
“This partnership will help us make a real difference in the lives of victim survivors from CALD backgrounds, and we are excited to work with LaTrobe University to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of prevention and support interventions,” Ms Vickery said.
In-country language services will be a key component of the initiative, enabling survivors to receive counselling and support in their native languages to remove barriers to seeking help.
LaTrobe University’s involvement sees the research capabilities of WestCASA expand and ensure that the evaluation of prevention strategies is grounded in data and informed by lived experience.
WestCASA described the partnership as groundbreaking and that it represents a significant opportunity to improve the way support centres engage with and aid CALD communities, a big step toward achieving a future where victim survivors can access the support they need in a culturally safe and empowering way.
About WestCASA: westcasa.org.au/
Jaidyn Kennedy
