New Advocacy Support in Solihull area

New Abuse Survivors Clinics (ASC’s) are being offered in Solihull and Chelmsley Wood through our ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy) service. This adds to the long running ASC already provided in Whittall Street where you can see our ISVA and a doctor (no doctor is available on the Solihull and Chelmsley Wood clinics.)

The ASC’s are places where sexual abuse survivors can go to seek support and are run in collaboration with Umbrella Sexual Health. Information about dates, times and locations of the ASC’s can be found here.

At the clinics our specialist advocates (ISVAs) can advise, signpost, refer and chaperone sexual abuse survivors for therapeutic and/or practical support. We know that accessing support can feel daunting and this service gives an easier, local access point for survivors from Solihull and Chelmsley Wood. The ASC’s are open to anybody who is a survivor of sexual violence, of any gender, and any age 13+. Our ISVAs are there for you if you need information around access to health care, reporting to the police, and any other issue that directly relates to the abuse experienced.  ISVAs will support you to feel informed so you can make your own independent decisions.

CEO Lisa Thompson, and Head of ISVA Services Yvonne Langham were on BBC Radio WM about the new clinics. They talk about the specialist support needed when survivors of sexual abuse don’t know where to turn and are worried about starting police investigations and the court process. Listen here.

85% of sexual abuse cases don’t get reported, however survivors still need holistic support even when taking legal action is not the way forward. There has been recently been an increase in people coming forward needing help with dealing with non-recent abuse, but still living with the effects many years later. If you’re a survivor, help is out there. If you’re local to Solihull and Chelmsley Wood, the new clinics are on your door step; ready to listen to you, believe you, and support you.