Evaluating foundational training for the Victorian specialist sexual assault sector

Sexual Assault Services Victoria recently completed a project commissioned by the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse that explored the knowledge gaps and training needs of the specialist sector workforce. This project found that the majority of the sector felt their pre-service qualifications did not adequately equip them to support and work with victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. In addition, capacity building, particularly in relation to cultural safety, children and young people with disability, and LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices is urgently needed. In an attempt to address these gaps, SASVic, in partnership with the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit and London Metropolitan University, has been delivering a 6-day short course. This course includes foundational theory and concepts that underpin the work of the specialist assault sector, seeking to build knowledge and critical thinking in areas such as child sexual abuse, foundational feminist theory, and gendered and intersecting drivers of sexual violence.