About Yarrow Place

A community service with a statewide mandate, Yarrow Place aims to:

• provide services to people who have been raped or sexually assaulted
• provide a lead agency role in South Australia, which includes advocacy in relation to public policy development, planning and service delivery in the area of sexual violence against adults
• build community capacity to respond to and prevent sexual assault through training and education.

Please go to our Services page:

• Yarrow Place Services

Vision

Yarrow Place works towards a long-term vision as follows:

South Australia will have a coordinated and comprehensive response to rape and sexual assault and will work towards a society free of sexual violence.

Mission statement

Yarrow Place works to prevent adult rape and sexual assault in South Australia and to assist those affected to address the effects of rape and sexual assault.

We seek to achieve our mission through:

• a significant reduction in the impacts of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation through support and education;
• a reduction in the negative impacts that systems (e.g. the health system, the legal system) may have on people who have been raped or sexually assaulted;
• improved access to, and quality of, services and support for people who have been raped, sexually assaulted or sexually exploited;
• increased community awareness and education on the topic of rape and sexual assault
• increased community support for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted;
• the challenging of attitudes and beliefs that support sexual violence through counselling, training and education;
• collaboration with a range of services and the community;
• the prevention of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation through a variety of projects, community engagement and training and education programs.

Governance

Yarrow Place is a government funded health service of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network. Some project funds are also received from other Departments and non-government sources. Our medical, counselling and Intensive Therapeutic Care services are free and confidential.

Value statements

• Rape and sexual assault are crimes.
• Rape and sexual assault are a violation of basic human rights. It is important to respond to victims in a way that affirms their rights, dignity, humanity, and self-determination.
• Anyone, regardless of age, sexuality, gender, culture or religion can become victims of sexual assault.
• A person who is sexually assaulted is never to blame.
• The perpetrator is totally responsible for the sexual assault and there are no excuses.
• Some victims are sexually assaulted by strangers but most perpetrators are known to the victim such as partners, ex-partners, friends, family members, employers, neighbours, teachers, etc.
• Sexual violence reflects the inequalities and power imbalances in society, between men and women, adults and children.
• Sexual violence is not about sexual desire; it is about a perpetrator’s need for power and control over others.
• Sexual assault includes a continuum of unwanted sexual behaviours ranging from unwanted touching and sexual harassment, to coerced sexual activity and rape. This may or may not involve physical violence and/or threat to life.
• Rape and sexual assault are predominantly perpetrated by men against women and children. Men are also victims of rape and sexual assault, usually perpetrated by men.
• Rape and sexual assault have a significant impact on the individual and society more broadly, including social, emotional, health, legal, economic and political consequences.
• It is possible to recover from the effects of rape and sexual assault.
• People who have been raped or sexually assaulted have the right to quality care.
• It is necessary to work across the health and human services systems, the criminal justice system, the education system (which can contribute to prevention) and other relevant areas in order to achieve the best outcomes for victims and to reduce the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in our community.

As well as these services, Yarrow Place undertakes projects in particular areas. These have included:

• projects to improve the quality of services in country areas
• prevention projects
• research projects
• a project to develop accredited training for workers
• training and education programs for professionals and community members
• projects to enhance outcomes for young people who are or have been under the Guardianship of the Minister.

To access a free and confidential service, please contact us.

Toll-free in SA: 1800 817 421
Fax: (08) 8226 8778
Street address: 64 Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006
Postal address: PO Box 620, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006
Email: info@yarrowplace.sa.gov.au
Web: www.yarrowplace.sa.gov.au