Tuesday August 5, 2025
In 2025, the Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (ECASA) marked 30 years of dedicated service to Victoria’s Eastern Metropolitan Region. Since opening its doors in March 1995, ECASA has worked tirelessly to reduce the incidence and impact of sexual violence, standing as a beacon of hope, healing and empowerment for countless individuals and communities.
Throughout the decades, ECASA has remained firmly grounded in its mission: to support, empower and stand alongside those affected by sexual assault. Its work is guided by principles of trauma-informed care, victim-survivor rights and a commitment to holistic healing.
Acting Manager, ECASA, Nikki Harris-Allan reflects on ECASA’s 30-year journey.
“We acknowledge not only how far the service has come over these three decades, but also the strength, courage and healing journeys of the countless individuals it has had the privilege to walk beside.
“With ongoing innovation, community connection, and a deep commitment to care, ECASA will continue to create safer and more supportive spaces for all,” Ms Harris-Allan said.
Collaboration is at the heart of ECASA’s approach. Over the years, the service has partnered with key stakeholders including the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Eastern Community Legal Centre, Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT), and many others. Together they offer a model of care that addresses the complex needs of those affected by sexual violence.
As the service evolved, ECASA expanded its reach and deepened its impact. Dedicated roles were introduced to strengthen connection with schools and community organisations, delivering education, training and prevention programs across a diverse range of settings. This has helped build capacity not only among professionals, but also within the wider community.
In 2007, ECASA launched a 24-hour crisis response service for adults who had recently experienced sexual assault, ensuring critical support was available when it was needed most. In the years that followed, the service developed a wide range of group-based programs alongside individual therapy.
With a focus on inclusivity, ECASA are responding to the needs of marginalised communities and actively reducing barriers to care.
Looking ahead, ECASA is preparing to launch an innovative new initiative: Australia’s first publicly funded intensive Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR-I) clinic. EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy treatment designed to reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories. The intensive model will offer six, two-hour sessions over two weeks, providing focused support to adult victim-survivors of sexual assault.
ECASA will be conducting research into the effectiveness of EMDR-I, with the goal of expanding access to high-quality, evidence-based trauma treatment for those who need it most.