Researcher: Manisha Massey College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work Flinders University Email: manisha.massey@flinders.edu.au

Co-Investigator: Dr. Mariette Berndsen College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work Flinders University Email: mariette.berndsen@flinders.edu.au

Associate Supervisor: Dr. Helen McLaren College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work Flinders University Email: helen.mclaren@flinders.edu.au

Description of the Study
This study is part of a PhD research project exploring help-seeking behaviours among South Asian women survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The study aims to understand barriers to seeking support, sources of help, and cultural influences shaping help-seeking behaviours. This project is supported by Flinders University’s College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work.

What will I be asked to do?
You are invited to participate in an anonymous online survey. If you agree to participate, you will answer questions about your experiences with seeking help, barriers to accessing support, and preferences for future interventions. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

What benefit will I gain from being involved in this study?
Your participation will contribute to research aimed at improving culturally sensitive mental health services and interventions for South Asian women survivors of CSA. This research seeks to address barriers and enhance support systems within this community.

Will I be identifiable by being involved in this study?
No. The study is anonymous, and no identifying information will be collected. All responses will be stored securely and reported in a way that ensures your identity remains confidential.

Are there any risks or discomforts if I am involved?
Some questions may be sensitive or distressing. You can skip any question or exit the survey at any time. A list of support services will be provided at the end of the survey if needed.

How do I agree to participate?
Participation is voluntary. You may answer ‘prefer not to say’ or refuse to answer any questions, and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time. If you agree to participate, please click “Yes, I consent to participate” after reading the consent form.

Withdrawal Rights
Your participation is entirely voluntary. You may exit the survey at any time before submitting your responses by simply closing the browser window, without providing an explanation or penalty. If you exit the survey before completion, your partial responses will not be included in the analysis. Because the survey is anonymous and does not collect any identifying information, once you have submitted your responses, it will not be possible to withdraw your data, as we will have no way to identify or remove your individual responses.

Confidentiality and Privacy
Only the researchers listed on this form will have access to the raw survey data. We will not collect any names or other details that could identify you. The research outcomes may be presented at conferences, written up for publication, or used for other research purposes as described in this information form. You will not be named, and your individual information will not be collected or identifiable in any research products.

Feedback on Data Collected
The survey is completely anonymous, and no identifying information or contact details are collected from participants, ensuring their privacy and confidentiality. Due to this, it is not possible to provide individual feedback. However, a general summary of the research outcomes may be made available upon request, and participants will be encouraged to contact the researcher via email if they are interested in accessing this summary. This approach maintains ethical standards while respecting participant anonymity.

Data Storage
All collected information will be stored on Flinders University’s secure, password-protected R Drive—an on- premise enterprise storage solution managed by the IDS team and compliant with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Data will be retained for 5 years after publication of the results, after which it will be securely destroyed in accordance with university protocols.

Ethics Committee Approval
The project has been approved by Flinders University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (8298).

Thank you for considering participation in this research.