Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline and Support Service
Helpline: 01208 77099
WRSAC's Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Service runs a helpline and outreach services to victims and survivors of rape, sexual assault, incest, childhood sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. The helpline receives approx 1,200 calls per annum. Volunteer Support Workers provide ongoing outreach and support, advocacy and counselling to approximately 350 women and their families each year.
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Helpline is live Monday to Thursday 10 – 1pm and Monday evening from 7.30 – 10pm. At these times calls are answered by our female support workers. At other times we have a 24-hour answer-phone service, which we try to respond to within 24 hours.
We treat all calls equally and sensitively, appreciating the courage required to break silence and share the events of the past whether they happened days or years ago. Our service is free, friendly and confidential and may involve talking over the phone or arranging to meet in the centre or a place where women feel safe and comfortable.
We offer a woman centered empowerment model of support, which enables women to restore their sense of personal power.
We do this by:-
- Creating a culture of belief.
- Ensuring women feel in control of the support they seek.
- Providing information, advice and exploring options, rather than encouraging particular actions.
- Recognising both the harm of victimisation and the resources needed to survive it.
- Encouraging women to locate blame where it belongs with the perpetrator.
- Validating what women do to survive and their coping strategies.
We work on a self-referral basis, ensuring women are ready to undertake working with us. However, we do increasingly receive referrals from many other agencies including Police, Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Doctors, Victim Support, GUM clinic, Probation, Youth Offending Team, Social Services and the Youth Services.