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
Sending referrals
All health professionals can refer to FARREP by fax or secure email.
Fast Fax: (03) 8345 3036.
Email: refrrals@thewomens.org.au
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
|
Name of the service |
Address |
Contact details |
Services offered |
|
Banyule Community Health |
21 Alamein Road, West Heidelberg, Vic, 3081 |
P: (03) 9450 2000 Ask for the FARREP Worker or Health Promotion Team Leader |
|
|
Collingwood Footscray (Paisley Street)78 Paisley Street, Kensington |
Collingwood: (03) 9448 5828 Footscray: (03) 9448 5502 Kensington: (03) 9448 5537 |
|
|
Darebin Council Youth Services |
274 Gower Street, Preston, VIC, 3072 |
P: (03) 8470 8001 |
|
|
Mercy Hospital for Women |
163 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084 |
P: (03) 8458 4150 |
|
|
Monash Health – South East Public Health Unit (SEPHU) |
700 Springvale Road, Mulgrave, VIC, 3170 |
P: (03) 9792 7945 Ask for their FARREP Team Leader E: healthpromotion@monashhealth.org
|
|
|
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health |
134 Cambridge Street, |
P: (03) 9418 0999 or 1800 656 421 (toll free) |
|
|
The Royal Women’s Hospital |
The Royal Women’s Hospital 20 Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC, 3052
|
Family Reproductive Rights Education Program P: (03) 8345 3058 African Women’s Clinic P: (03) 8345 3058 |
|
|
Women’s Health in the North |
266 Raglan Street, Preston, VIC, 3072
|
P: (03) 9484 1666
|
|
|
GenWest |
317-319 Barkly Street, Footscray, VIC, 3011 |
P: 1800 436 937 |
|
Related information
Downloads and Related Topics
Date reviewed: 06 February 2025
Date reviewed: 06 February 2025