An estimated 50 sexual assaults take place in residential aged care in Australia every week. Older people also experience sexual assault in their own homes. The trauma they experience is compounded by the lack of education for service providers.
The Ready to Listen project aims to build the skills and capacity of residential aged care service providers to better respond to – and prevent – sexual assault in residential aged care.
The project was funded by the Department of Health and led by the Older Persons Advocacy Network, in partnership with Celebrate Ageing and the Older Women’s Network, New South Wales.
Map Guidelines
At the heart of the Ready to Listen project is a MAP (myths, facts and practical strategies). It outlines 10 ways in which residential aged care service providers can improve their responses to – and prevent – sexual assault. The guidelines are a framework for improving responses to and preventing sexual assault in residential aged care.
Ready to Listen resources
Download resources by expanding the sections below.
Understanding sexual assault
A poster with definitions and the prevalence of sexual assault, with space to add your own care home details.
Poster for service providers:
Clarifying sexual rights and consent
Information and education are provided to ensure staff, residents and families understand resident’s sexual rights and responsibilities and staff rights and responsibilities in this context.
The Ready to Listen Charter of sexual rights and responsibilities:
Considerations relating to sexual consent and preventing sexual assault in residential aged care:
Assessing the indicators of sexual assault
The physical and psychological indicators of sexual assault are understood and prompt staff to identify whether sexual assault has occurred.
Watch the video on indicators of sexual assault – featuring Dr Catherine Barrett and Professor Ann Burgess
Identifying the impacts of sexual assault
The impacts of sexual assault are understood and prompt staff to implement strategies to support victims/survivors and prevent sexual assault.
- understand changes to reporting sexual assault under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
- differentiate between Priority 1 and 2 reports
- understand the physical and psychological impacts of sexual assault.
Reporting requirements
A guide for service providers on reporting to the police:
Reporting poster for service providers:
Watch the seminar here to understand:
- the implications of these for reporting sexual assault to SIRS
- the legal responsibilities of service providers related to sexual assault
- how, when and why to report sexual assault in residential aged care to the Police.
Providing immediate safety and support
Staff support victim/survivors who disclose sexual assault, provide information on sexual assault and advocacy services, and ensure immediate safety.
Accessing sexual assault services: A guide for service providers:
Poster – Supporting victims/survivors of sexual assault in residential aged care:
When sexual activity is not okay – What to do: Information booklet for people living in residential aged care:
Sexual assault in residential aged care: Information for families:
Open disclosure
Staff understand and implement practical strategies for communicating about sexual assault in ways that are honest, timely, ethically responsible, and professionally expected.
Open disclosure and sexual assault in residential aged care guide:
Trauma informed aged care
The Ready to Listen Trauma-Informed Framework for residential aged care:
Recognising and reducing vulnerability
Staff recognise factors that contribute to residents’ vulnerability to sexual assault and take steps to reduce this vulnerability.
The Ready to Listen Dementia MAP: Guidelines for preventing sexual assault of people living with dementia in residential aged care:
Watch the webinar:
Preventing sexual assault of people with dementia in residential aged care, featuring Theresa Flavin, advocate and activist for the rights and dignity of people living with dementia, Dr Catherine Barrett, Director, Celebrate Ageing and Yumi Lee, CEO, Older Women’s Network NSW.
Prevention and service improvement
The organisation has a sexual assault policy or guidelines and audits its service against the #ReadyToListen MAP Guidelines, to identify and make improvements.
The Ready to Listen Audit and Planning Tool for preventing sexual assault:
The Ready to Listen Policy Kit for preventing sexual assault:
Watch Dignity and Respect:
a video featuring John Quinn, a person living with dementia and Glenys Petrie
In Sickness and Health
OPAN’s Ready to Listen project partners have developed a series of resources to support care partners of people living with dementia.
Information and support services for the care partners of people living with dementia who are experiencing unwanted sexual demands.
Resource for service providers working with care partners of people living with dementia.
Facilitator eLearning program
Register for OPAN’s free eLearning facilitator course, Responding to and preventing sexual assault in Residential Aged Care aged care educators to conduct training in their residential aged care