Workshops

Our 1-day workshops are appropriate for professionals, students or anyone who works directly or indirectly with victims-survivors of rape and childhood sexual abuse. Our training focuses on an ethos of encouraging sensitive and improved responses to victims-survivors and their families whenever contact is made. All of our workshops are person-centred and teach a trauma-informed response. Training is held in our office in Rugby, Warwickshire but can also be delivered at external locations of your choosing. Please get in touch to discuss this option.

The Survivors Trust promotes effective responses to rape and sexual abuse on a local, regional and national level and have worked with key offices and organisations such as the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, NHS-England, the Police and Crown Prosecution Service. We offer bespoke packages for schools, colleges and parents on the subject of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and consent. We also offer bespoke Sexual Harassment training to larger organisations.

Understanding the Impact of Sexual Violence & How to Handle Disclosure

Victims-Survivors of rape and childhood sexual abuse often talk about the '2nd rape', a term often used by them to express their regret and disappointment after making a disclosure to a professional about their traumatic experience. It isn’t a matter of the professional deliberately trying to cause distress to their clients but more about them not understanding how trauma impacts a person. Read more

Pre-Trial Therapy for Victims of Rape or Sexual Abuse Training

In 1998 the report given by the Home Office, ‘Speaking Up for Justice’, (Section 28), established that vulnerable and intimidated witnesses should not be denied the emotional support and counselling they may need before and after a trial. Furthermore the decision to offer counselling and support should be based on the needs of the victim. However, despite this, some vulnerable witnesses are still being denied access to pre-trial therapy and emotional support Read more

A Trauma Informed Approach To Working with Male Survivors of Rape & Childhood Sexual Abuse

The most recent Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that 143,000 males aged 16 to 59 years were victims of a sexual assault in the last year. The Crown Prosecution Service acknowledges around 16 per cent of reported sexual offence victims are male, with the vast majority of incidents never even being reported to the police. Read more

Meet Our Trainer

Linda Lewis is an independent Training Consultant with 8 years’ experience of providing training to Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVA’s) and to ISVA Service Managers on a national basis. She understands how challenging these roles can be, along with the levels of responsibility and accountability they come with, having Managed Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Services in the voluntary sector. Read more

Bespoke Training

Linda can create a bespoke training package on any of the following: Sexual Harassment Awareness & Prevention, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Child Sexual Exploitation, Handling Disclosures of Sexual Violence, Pre-trial Therapy, Understanding Rape and Sexual Violence, Consent, Bystanding behaviour, Working with Male Survivors, Working with Vulnerable People, Supporting Professionals to Deliver Trauma-informed Services, Mediation and Negotiation Skills Read more

Latest

If You Need Help Now

Rape and sexual violence are horrific and traumatic crimes. Many victims and survivors experience a wide range of emotions after rape or sexual assault and are often too shocked to act in the immediate moments. There is no right or wrong way to react or feel.

Petition: Make all sexual abuse offences exceptions under the double jeopardy rules

"Many victims will never be able to obtain justice or closure from the criminal courts as the law currently stands as their charges are not deemed "serious" or "severe" enough to be an exception to the double jeopardy rules."

Definitions of Sexual Violence

It can be hard to come to terms with what happened and even harder to understand how it is defined in the law. Here are the most current definitions of sexual violence in the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Victim Support NI Foyle

Area covered: Antrim & Newtownabbey, Causeway Coast & Glens, Derry City & Strabane, Fermanagh & Omagh, Mid & East Antrim and Mid-Ulster

Petition: Make all sexual abuse offences exceptions under the double jeopardy rules

Find Specialist Support in your Area

The Survivors Trust has 129 member organisations based in the UK & Ireland which provide specialist support for women, men & children who have survived rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse.

Right to Review – Child Sexual Abuse Review Panel

TST is recommending member agencies and ISVAs to alert their clients to the new right to review which has just been established by the Crown Prosecution Service and Police. The issue of survivors feeling that their case has not been investigated thoroughly or that perpetrators have not been charged has caused great distress for many survivors over many years.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC)

SARCs (sexual assault referral centres) are specialist medical and forensic services for anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted. They are designed to be comfortable and multi-functional, providing private space for interviews and forensic examinations, and some may also offer sexual health and counselling services.

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse: "Law must change" says Rape & CSA Charities

NAPAC (the National Association for People Abused in Childhood) is leading a coalition of charities in the call for legislation to introduce ‘Mandatory reporting’. The law would make failure to report suspected or known child abuse in ‘Regulated Activities’ a criminal offence. Regulated Activities include schools, sports clubs linked to national sports bodies, children’s homes and faith organisations*.