5-Minute Read
18 November 2025
The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) is shining a light on the vital work of its Clinical Forensic Medicine (CFM) division highlighting new service improvements and innovations that are strengthening Victoria’s response to sexual and physical assaults.
Clinical Forensic Medicine (CFM) is a branch of medicine that applies medical knowledge to living individuals for medico-legal investigations. The Institute incorporated CFM services on behalf of Victoria Police over three decades ago. This service is one of the VIFM’s core services alongside Forensic Pathology, State Mortuary Operations, Forensic Sciences (including Toxicology and Molecular Biology), Coronial Admissions and Enquiries, and the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria.
VIFM’s Clinical Forensic Medicine division plays a vital role in providing timely, compassionate, and trauma-informed care to victim-survivors of sexual and physical assault. In partnership with Victoria Police, our Clinical Forensic Practitioners conduct medical and forensic examinations that prioritise the wellbeing, dignity, and emotional safety of each person, while also ensuring the accurate collection of evidence to support the justice system. This collaborative approach ensures individuals are listened to, supported, and given clear information about their choices, helping them feel safe and empowered during what is often a distressing and complex time.
Our Clinical Forensic Practitioners consist of Forensic Medical Officers (FMOs) – qualified doctors – and Forensic Nurse Examiners (FNEs) – qualified nurses – and they perform the examination of victims and the documentation of evidence. Our Forensic Medical Officers (FMOs) provide additional support services including injury interpretation, fitness-to-be-interviewed assessments, and expert medical opinions. This CFM network covers Metro and Regional Victoria, is a 24/7 support model and works in close collaboration with Victoria Police at all times.
Collaborating with Victoria Police on adult victim-survivors of sexual offences
Sexual violence in Victoria is largely gendered, with women much more likely to be victims; and most offenders being male. Women disproportionately experience sexual violence, and whilst male victims are a minority, they do experience both sexual and physical assault. In 2023, Victoria police recorded 14,446 sexual offences, and these are most often perpetrated by someone known to the victim-survivor. Victoria Police’s Safe from Harm strategy shows how Police are targeting not just response but outcomes, meaning they want to do more than just record crimes – they want to improve justice and victim support.
A large proportion of VIFM’s work deals with sexual assaults, and only those concerning adult victim-survivors (over 18 years old) – minors are treated by The Victorian Forensic Paediatric Medical Service (VFPMS).
For adult victim-survivors of sexual offences, we work closely with Victoria Police’s Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT) to deliver a coordinated response. When a sexual assault is reported, SOCIT officers assess risk, begin the investigation, and – where appropriate – arrange a forensic medical examination conducted by the VIFM team. We provide expert, sensitive care to victim-survivors while collecting high-quality forensic evidence that can support police investigations and court outcomes.
SOCIT units typically operate from Crisis Care units or Multidisciplinary Centres (MDCs) where police, VIFM forensic medical officers and nurses, and sexual assault counselling services are co-located. This integrated model means victim-survivors can receive medical care, counselling, and speak to police all in one safe, private and supportive environment.
Together, SOCIT and VIFM ensure that investigations are thorough, evidence is collected to the highest standard, and victim-survivors receive compassionate, professional care at every step of the process.
VIFM’s improved victim-survivor support model
A new model for Clinical Forensic Medicine (CFM) services has been implemented progressively by the VIFM over the last twelve months, and launched formally in October 2025. The new model strengthens the collaboration with Victoria Police and other key stakeholders representing significant benefits in support, response times and accessibility for victim-survivors across Victoria. The Victorian Government has supported the expanded CFM support model with additional Forensic Nurse Examiners, and a multimillion dollar investment in an MRI technology.
This new service model reflects the VIFM’s vision and commitment to the delivery of time-critical, 24/7 Clinical Forensic Medicine (CFM) services, and agency collaboration and communication. It enables VIFM to support a geographically equitable service delivery so that demand across regional Victoria is proportionately serviced through investment in additional qualified and diverse practitioners. It also ensures alignment with the broader justice system that prioritises outcomes for victim-survivors of sexual offending, including improving access to justice and designing interactions to minimise re-traumatisation wherever possible.
“Clinical Forensic Medicine sits at the intersection of clinical care, victim-survivor support, and the justice system – and by strengthening our Clinical Forensic Medicine model, we can provide more sensitive, accessible, and evidence-based support to victim-survivors while delivering expert medico-legal assessments for the justice system.”
Dr Kean Kuan, Chief Medical Officer
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
The CFM support model offers:
24/7 Availability: round the clock access to CFM support across Victoria, including three operational metropolitan service hubs in Southbank, Dandenong and Wyndham, which are staffed between 08:00 and 22:00.
Extended Coverage: Forensic Medical examinations take place in 20 locations across Victoria – comprising nine metro and eleven regional sites, located at Crisis Care Units (CCU) in hospitals and heath facilities, or Multi Disciplinary Centres (MDC). The extended network allows victim-survivors the opportunity to request a preferred location. Note: medical needs and/or emergency care may require the victim-survivor to be seen at a hospital rather than their preferred CCU or MDC location.
Additional Forensic Practitioners: nine new Forensic Nurse Examiners in the regional workforce strengthen CFM’s services in the larger regional towns, particularly in areas with an MDC. This reduces the need for victim-survivors to travel from rural and regional Victoria to access our services.
Faster Response times: VIFM’s Forensic Practitioners will arrive at the examination location within 2 hours in Metropolitan Melbourne and Geelong and within 4 hours in Regional Victoria, following a confirmed request.
Expert Phone Advice to Victoria Police and other stakeholders: Our Forensic Practitioners offer expert phone advice to police, health professionals and other stakeholders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing advice on clinical forensic matters.
Improved Continuity of Care and Follow-Up: The updated model emphasises scheduled re-checks, follow-up imaging where required, and coordinated communication with treating clinicians to ensure injuries are properly monitored.
World-Leading Imaging Capability
A recent article in The Age titled “how Melbourne’s Forensic experts are helping strangulation victims” highlights how VIFM’s recently installed MRI scanner – the first of its kind in an Australian forensic facility – could be a game changer for sexual assault victim-survivors. This technology allows clinicians to detect internal soft-tissue injuries that are often not visible externally, including subtle neck trauma that can confirm a history of strangulation and guide patient safety planning.
VIFM’s forensic radiologist Dr Chris O’Donnell says the MRI technology could uncover crucial and subtle trauma that could lead to a surge of criminal assault convictions in court. Unlike other violent assaults, non-fatal strangulation and choking often leaves little external evidence.
“There may be some minor bruising or some finger marks, so it can be hard to corroborate that the event has occurred. Instead of just looking on the skin, we want to look inside the body. While soft tissue is vulnerable to bleeding through neck compression, damage to the muscles is often not picked up in clinical examinations at hospitals but can be detected by MRI.”
Dr Chris O’Donnell, Forensic Radiologist
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
An MRI machine can provide detailed three-dimensional images of soft tissue inside the neck and reveal hidden internal trauma such as bruising, swelling to fat and deep muscles, and small fractures in bones including to those linked to the airways. These types of injuries are often not picked up during routine clinical examinations in emergency departments or in CT scans, which are generally used in hospitals where staff are focused on detecting life-threatening injuries like major brain bleeds or splits in blood vessels following strangulation or choking.
The Institute’s Clinical Forensic Medicine division undertakes about 600 medical examinations of victim survivors of sexual assault in Victoria each year, and hundreds more who have experienced other forms of interpersonal violence. Forensic Physician at the VIFM, Dr Maaike Moller, says that the victim’s welfare is at the heart of everything she does.
“They might have blacked out or been left with a hoarse voice following the assault and the scan they would usually receive would be a CT scan at the hospital in the first instance. This MRI technology has potential to fill the gap between the hospital assessment and our forensic clinical assessment.”
Dr Maaike Moller, Forensic Physician Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
The VIFM remains committed to providing trauma-informed care and examinations when and where they are needed most. The reforms to the Clinical Forensic Medicine model will deliver more sensitive, evidence-based care and medico-legal assessment for victim-survivors. Our advanced capability now includes MRI imaging, a world class resource that can capture subtle internal injuries that might otherwise go unseen, strengthening medical assessments, the justice process, and ultimately convictions.
Remember, if you or anyone you know has been impacted by this article and needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
CREDIT: this article quotes a story that appeared in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on 16 November 2025.