- Entry type: Organisation
- Entry ID: PR00063
Rape Crisis Centre
(From 1976 – )- Occupation Educator, Feminist support service, Social change
Summary
The Adelaide Rape Crisis Centre was formed as an outgrowth of the Hindmarsh Women’s Community Centre, a free medical service for women. It became obvious after a short time that a separate service was needed, given the number of women reporting past rapes and the lack of available services. The founders of the Rape Crisis Centre had three main purposes: 1) to support women after the rape, 2) to change attitudes to rape and 3) to teach self defence. They organised the first ‘Reclaim the Night March’ in Adelaide. The group made a submission to the Mitchell Report on Rape and Other Sexual Offences.
Details
The Centre was opened on 6 September 1976 with 28 trained women on roster for limited phone counselling. By 1980 they had 40 volunteers and 2 part time coordinators. These workers and volunteers took on roles in counselling services, community education, administration, the Management Committee, Liaison Committee and the sexual assault clinic. They trained other services who helped women and girls who had been raped or sexually assaulted.
Initially the Rape Crisis Centre operated at Mary St, Hindmarsh. The service then moved to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and on to North Adelaide where it became Yarrow Place. The centre has produced a newsletter since 1977 which is now online.
Some of the women involved include Heather Crosby, Myra Williams (Betschild), Silver Moon, Helen Oxenham, Jenny Cooke, Chris Beasley, Stephanie Key, Jill Miller, Jillian and Val Tidswell and Diana Kemp.
Published resources
- Resource