SASVic’s response to the 2025-26 Victorian state budget

As the peak body for specialist sexual assault services across Victoria, SASVic is “heartened” by new funding to respond to technology-facilitated sexual violence against girls and relieved sexual assault services have avoided the funding cliff for this year.

We are delighted that the Department of Education has allocated $7.4 million over 4 years to deliver a Safe Socials Program in partnership with SASVic.

SASVic CEO Kathleen Maltzahn says, “Every day, girls, their families and teachers call sexual assault services for help, because girls are inundated by damaging pornographic images, including fake images of them. This teaches both girls and boys that girls are not entitled to respect. This new funding of $7.4 million means we can start to fight back and defend girls’ dignity and freedom online, in classrooms and in the community.”

We are reassured that lapsing funding for our sector has been extended for a further two years. This takes some of the pressure off services, ensuring that we can retain essential staff with specialist expertise. "Good people are hard to find and harder to keep and the need for services is only growing."

This is also the first time that sexual violence has its own line item in the budget paper. “This gesture helps provide transparency about investment in sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour services, distinct from family violence funding, in this and future budgets”, says SASVic CEO Kathleen Maltzahn.

Kathleen Maltzahn is available comment via Brett de Hoedt of Hootvile Communications on 0414 713 802 | brett@hootville.com