Beyond Sexual Abuse: A Project to Enhance GP's Responses to Victim/Survivors of Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Research (e.g. Mazza, Dennerstein, & Ryan, 1996) has demonstrated that general practitioners (GPs) are seeing female victims of sexual abuse in their practices but that the majority of victim/survivors do not disclose their trauma history to their GP. Consistent with this, referrals from GPs to the Western Region Centre Against Sexual Abuse (WestCASA) represented a small percentage of total referrals and anecdotal evidence suggested GPs were not adequately skilled to respond confidently to victim/survivors of sexual abuse. In 1997, WestCASA embarked upon a joint project with the Western Melbourne Division of General Practice for the enhancement of GP's awareness and skills in the identification, assessment and management of victim/survivors of sexual abuse, and to improve the networking and referral between WestCASA and GPs. The project resulted in GPs being more aware, skilled and confident in the assessment and continuing care of victim/survivors of sexual abuse with a marked increase in the number of referrals and secondary consultation with GPs. This project is presented as a model of best practice and the paper details the five stages of the project, including the training and relationship building strategies employed. Key factors contributing to the project's success are outlined and it is argued that projects such as this are vital in improving the quality of care provided by GPs, enhancing collaborative work between GPs and specialist, community agencies and improving the overall health and well being of survivors of sexual abuse.