The Family & Reproductive Rights Education Program (FARREP) provides support and education to women from places where female genital mutilation (FGM) is practised. This service is available to women and health professionals across Victoria.
Services available
FARREP workers are experienced and specially trained female support/cultural workers. Each speaks one or more of the following languages: Tigre, Tigrinya, Arabic, Amharic and Somali.
FARREP is a statewide service and can:
- Support women during clinical appointments across the Women’s
- Facilitate access to the FGM Clinic
- Provide health promotion and supports health literacy around FGM
- Support cultural safety in service access and provision at the Women’s
- Provide information and education to health professionals about the cultural practice of FGM
If your patient may require a deinfibulation procedure, please refer to the FGM Clinic.
Inclusion criteria
- Statewide referrals accepted
- Women who have experienced FGM or who are enquiring as to whether they have experienced FGM
Referral instructions
Essential information
Clinician referrals must include essential demographic, medical and social history details, and relevant information about the presenting complaint.
In detail: Women's health referrals
Send referral
All health professionals can refer to FARREP via Fast Fax: (03) 8345 3036.
Use our Women’s Health Referral Form – jump to Referral templates (Downloads).
In detail: How referrals are processed
Patient self-referral
Women can self-refer to FARREP by calling us on (03) 8345 3058.
Appointments
Patients will be contacted by the hospital FARREP worker by phone to provide appointment information.
FARREP workers are available Monday to Friday during business hours. Appointments are by phone, email or face-to-face at the Women’s.
Training and education sessions
FARREP provides free professional development training for health professionals, including GPs and community services. Other organisations and individuals can also request training.
Training from FARREP and the FGM Clinic (African’s Women’s Clinic) at the Women’s focuses on a trauma-informed approach to the social and cultural aspects of FGC/M, to improve how services support women and girls from countries where it has been traditionally practised.
To request training or find out more, please email Farrep.Program@thewomens.org.au or give us a call on (03) 8345 3058.
FARREP providers
| Provider | Address | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health |
Suite 207, Level 2, |
(03) 9418 09999 or 1800 656 421 |
| Women’s Health in the North | Level 2/266 Raglan Street, Preston 3072 |
(03) 8345 3050 |
| cohealth | Various locations | |
| Mercy Hospital for Women | 163 Studley Road, Heidelberg 3084 |
(03) 8458 4150 |
| Gen West | 317-319 Barkley Street, Footscray 3011 |
1800 436 937 |
| Monash Health Dandenong | 122 Thomas Street, Dandenong 3175 |
9792 7945 |
| Banyule Community Health | 21 Alamein Road, West Heidelberg 3081 |
9450 2000 |
Related information
Downloads and Related Topics
Date reviewed: 06 February 2025
Date reviewed: 06 February 2025