THE State Opposition has lashed the “appalling” closure of the Victim Support Service (VSS) and has raised concerns with the limit of the number of therapeutic counselling services offered to clients by replacement provider Relationships Australia South Australia.
Shadow cabinet minster and former Victim Support Service chair Jayne Stinson expressed concerns about the continuity and transition of support services following the closure of the Mount Gambier office earlier this month.
At State Labor’s community forum held on Sunday night, Ms Stinson condemned the cessation of the service, saying it provided critical and dedicated support for victims of crime beyond therapeutic counselling.
“VSS was providing a lot more than just the counselling services in this region, including assistance in getting victim compensation payments,” she said.
“Just the ability to be able to drop in and ask for some general advice if you have been a victim of crime, or if you know someone who is and needs the support.
“People need to be able to get those services somewhere and if they do not, we see it turn up in other parts of our system.
“We see more pressure on the health system and see people struggling in other areas of their life if they do not get the assistance they need to be a victim of crime.”
The Victim Support Service was defunded by the State Government following the appointment of a new contract, with the new service operating on $800,000 per year – approximately a 66pc drop from the $2.4m allocated to the Victim Support Service.
While new provider Relationships Australia South Australia will provide therapeutic counselling, the provision of initiatives such as the Court Companion Service and face-to-face help with victim compensation payments and victim impact statements remains under a cloud.
Following the tender announcement, Attorney-General Vickie Chapman announced an additional $250,000 a year for the Victims’ Rights Commissioner to act as a central point of contact for victims seeking help and support.
Acting Victims’ Rights Commissioner Sarah Quick was unable to provide a timeline as to when victim support services would be rolled out in its new form, but advised people to contact the police investigating officer or contact the commissioner’s office.
The state’s peak advocacy service closed the doors to the Mount Gambier office on July 1, with South Australia Labor previously warning of a service gap.
“We know that people often need this support many decades after they have been a victim,” Ms Stinson said.
“It takes 18 years for people who are victims of child sexual abuse to disclose it to anyone – that is not to go to the police – that’s to disclose it to anyone.
“They have some important questions before them whether they take it further to the court system and that process can be incredibly stressful and brings up a lot of things for people.
“It is distressing … to see that service go.”
Ms Stinson told attendees of Sunday night’s forum the restriction on the number of counselling services was of particular concern.
“Previously with VSS if you needed one session, you could have one session – if you needed two years worth of sessions or even longer, you could do that and those services were free,” she said.
“Under the new services, I think it is six to eight sessions and that is really worrying.
“I deal with people who are victims of historic child sexual abuse, people who are currently giving evidence to inquiries … and six sessions is just not going to cut it.
“There is a world of pain that has to be sorted through and family members need access to those services too.”
Ms Stinson said the state opposition would look very closely at the State Government’s future movements in the victim support service sphere.
