Goulburn Valley Centre Against Sexual Assault (GVCASA) celebrated 35 years of services last week.
The establishment of GVCASA followed the development of a steering committee formed in 1986 to address the need for counselling services for victim survivors of sexual assault in Shepparton and the surrounding Shires. First opened under the name of North Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault, the service began with a single employee in a coordinator role to establish the program, which is now a team of 18.
The celebration reflected on all the ways services have grown over time, from the inclusion of a 24/7 crisis care service for recent victim survivors, to counselling and advocacy now provided across 6 locations within the Goulburn region, where the GVCASA team have had the immense privilege of supporting over 20,000 victim survivors of sexual assault through their healing journey.
The GVCASA team is now preparing for the next service milestone with relocation to a new purpose-built premises, the Shepparton Multidisciplinary Centre, taking place in late January 2025.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual assault, you can access support by calling GVCASA’s freecall line on 1800 112 343 (24/7) or the Sexual Assault Crisis Line (after hours) on 1800 806 292, or visiting the website https://www.gvhealth.org.au/our-services/gvcasa/
