MEDIA RELEASE
2 September 2025
SEXUAL JUSTICE EXISTS WITH FREE AND HEALTHY DECISIONS FOR VICTIM-SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE
Engender Equality is using World Sexual Health Day 2025 on 4 September 2025 to remind Tasmanians that sexual health can only truly exist when people can live without discrimination, fear, shame, and stigma.
Sexual assault is an insidious and violent violation and is also a health issue for many victim-survivors. Sexual health care after assault means communicating with care and making sure victim-survivors feel believed, supported, and afforded every safeguard for their health and recovery.
Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas says,
“The reality is that sexual assault within intimate partner relationships carries particular and heightened risks.
“Sexual assault creates health risks and fears including the possibility of sexually transmissible infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, and trauma.
“When victim-survivors disclose sexual assault, their safety, dignity, wellbeing and their autonomy must be at the centre for treating General Practitioners and other frontline professionals.
“The conversations that follow—about sexual health, transmittable infections, and safe follow-up—can be especially delicate.
“Shame, coercion, and fear of retribution often stop victim-survivors from being able to manage the full scope of the risks and consequences of their situation. They may be in the very high risk position of having to talk to their abusive partner about their sexual health and this can expose them to escalations of violence and abuse.
“While it may feel important to rush towards screening for sexually transmitted infections, this response must be delivered by practitioners informed about signs and symptoms of infection, and the fact that many STIs are asymptomatic—so is not necessarily the most urgent task when an assault has been reported.
“Every step of this process needs to be explained in simple, supportive terms that restore agency and reduce shame.
“This is where our Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence program is essential in providing support to General Practices with specialist knowledge and skills to navigate this complexity,” Ms Thomas said.
Jess Drew is the Manager of the Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Pilot, funded by Primary Health Tasmania. Ms Drew explains,
“While in most cases, the risk of an STI transmission is no higher than any other sexual exposure, the fear itself is real and requires careful management.
“We test at baseline to rule out pre-existing infections, but most infections won’t show up until 14 days or more later.
“That’s why clear information, follow-up testing, and supportive care are so important; building trust through listening to and validating the patient is critical,” Ms Drew reported.
Additional Information
This Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence support initiative is funded by Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN), through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program. Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency leading the program in partnership with Laurel House.
More information including how General Practices and Aboriginal Health Services can connect with the service is available at 03 6268 1663, admin@pcfsv.org.au or www.engenderequality.org.au/pcfsv.
If you would like to engage a lived experience representative (case study), please see Advocates for Change – Engender Equality , email advocates@engenderequality.org.au or 0415 740 524.
Media Contact: Alina Thomas 0438 788 291