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Research

Our research

Violence against women and children affects everybody. It impacts on the health, wellbeing and safety of a significant proportion of Australians throughout all states and territories and places an enormous burden on the nation’s economy across family and community services, health and hospitals, income-support and criminal justice systems.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

News and events

ANROWS hosts events as part of its knowledge transfer and exchange work, including public lectures, workshops and research launches. Details of upcoming ANROWS activities and news are available from the list on the right.

ANROWS

About ANROWS

ANROWS was established by the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments of Australia to produce, disseminate and assist in applying evidence for policy and practice addressing violence against women and their children.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Resources

To support the take-up of evidence, ANROWS offers a range of resources developed from research to support practitioners and policy-makers in delivering evidence-based interventions.


RP.14.06

Establishing the Connection: Interventions linking service responses for sexual assault with drug or alcohol use/misuse

Completed
May 2016

Establishing the Connection examined the complex intersections between alcohol/other drug use and the severity of, or vulnerability to, sexual violence and revictimisation. The project aimed to build the capacity of the sexual assault and alcohol and other drug (AoD) sectors to respond more effectively to the needs of affected women and their families.


This is a 12-month, qualitative project involving a detailed literature review, consultation interviews with clinicians and other stakeholders working in the sexual assault and AoD sectors, and a forum to bring together the practice knowledge and needs of both sectors and form collaborations for linked service responses and further work in this area.

Findings from the research informed the development of shared practice guidelines to assist service providers in Victoria with the identification, assessment, response and secondary consultation or referral of woman and families affected by co-occurring sexual abuse victimisation and substance use issues. This project brought together research and service provider organisations in the fields of sexual abuse/violence and alcohol and other drugs. It helped to build capacity and strengthen important links between researchers and service providers in both sectors.

This project provided evidence and strategies to assist sexual assault and alcohol and other drug services respond more effectively to women and their families affected by sexual assault and substance use.


Researchers

Principal chief investigator:

Dr Rebecca Jenkinson, Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).

Chief investigators:

Ms Mary Stathopoulos, Senior Research Officer, AIFS; and Dr Antonia Quadara, Research Fellow, AIFS.

Research partners / team members:

A/Prof Daryl Higgins, Deputy Director (Research), AIFS.

Ms Liz Wall, Research Officer, AIFS.

Ms Jane Vanderstoel, Convenor, Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA) Forum.

Mr Trevor King, Director of Programs, Therapeutic Services, UnitingCare ReGen.


Downloads

State of knowledge

Establishing the connection [between alcohol and other drug use and sexual victimisation]: State of knowledge paper

Download

Research report

Establishing the Connection: Interventions linking service responses for sexual assault with drug or alcohol use/abuse: Final report

Download

Research summary

Establishing the Connection: Interventions linking service responses for sexual assault with drug or alcohol use/abuse: Key findings and future directions

Download

GUIDELINES

Establishing the Connection: Guidelines for practitioners and clinicians in the sexual assault and alcohol and other drug sectors

View more

MEDIA RELEASE

Sexual assault survivors need more clinical support

View more

Budget

$91,000 (approx.)

Funded by Australian Commonwealth, state and territory governments under ANROWS’s 2014 core grant round.

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