About Us
Vision, Strategy, Policies, & Annual Impact Reports
We endeavour to provide you with as many resources & as much information as we can here at RSVP.
Our Vision
At RSVP, we want a world that is free from sexual violence and abuse. We offer empathetic services to support children and adults of all genders who have been subjected to sexual trauma, to ensure that their individual worlds become free from sexual violence and abuse.
Our Mission
RSVP’s supports people who have been subjected to sexual violence and abuse to thrive and enjoy a future of hope and confidence.
We boldly stand with survivors and challenge victim blaming.
Our Stance: RSVP does not support adults who have sexually abused or sexually harmed others.
Our mission is to support children and adults who have been subjected to sexual violence and abuse to enjoy a future of hope and confidence.
In order to do this, we need to offer our specialist support services in safe spaces.
This means that RSVP is unable to offer support to adults who have perpetrated, committed sexual offences or subjected anyone to sexual abuse, sexual violence or sexual harm.
This includes but is not exclusive to individuals accused of, under investigation for or have convictions for sexual offences.
We recognise that there is a need to help those adults who are survivors and have also sexually abused or harmed others, to access support.
While this is something that RSVP is unable to offer, the following specialist organisations may be able to support adults who have sexually abused or harmed others including the Lucy Fiathfull Foundation, & StopSo.
We do not recommend an approach or organisation in particular, and will leave adults seeking support to make decisions that are right for them.
RSVP may be able to support children and young people (under 18 years of age) who have been sexually abused and also displayed sexually inappropriate, harmful or problematic behaviours towards other children, including their siblings. We can also support their parents and carers.
Our Stance: we do not routinely share counselling notes.
We are bold in actively challenging requests to share counselling notes to protect the interests of the people we support. In accordance with Rape Crisis England & Wales’ ‘Keep Counselling Confidential’ campaign, we do not routinely share counselling or ISVA notes with police/CPS.
Most people agree to share information as they wish to cooperate with the investigation and believe that these notes will support their case. In some instances, it does. But, in most, we know that it’s used against them.
We believe people subjected to sexual violence & abuse need safe spaces to heal from trauma without fear that their private information will be shared.
Our big-hearted decisions will continue to be led by the wishes and interests of the individuals we support.
Strategy
Please find our strategy (2020 – 2025) for RSVP below, which explores how we will continue to meet the needs of survivors subjected to sexual violence and abuse.
RSVP’s Commitment & Work Towards Anti-Racism
At RSVP we recognise that everyone is a unique individual with their own experiences, identities, culture & history. We acknowledge, reflect & understand how these may impact on relationships with oppression, power & privilege.
We are committed to being an anti-racist & anti-oppressive organisation & to making it a core part of RSVP’s strategy. We will act in a fair & non-discriminatory way & actively challenge & work to eliminate racism, oppression & discrimination. We know that racism still widely exists in society & sadly, in the violence against women & girls sector too. We will challenge & change this through:
- Implementing anti-racist practice in our work to address inequality;
- Playing our role to end racism in the violence against women and girls sector;
- Our values and actions;
- Being part of the work to create an equal, fair society.
Training and Qualifications
All of RSVP’s qualified counsellors hold professional qualifications in counselling. RSVP also offers a small number of placements to counsellors in their final years of training who are undertaking diploma, degree or higher level courses. These placements offer a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a specialist rape and sexual abuse and trauma informed counselling service.
All of our counsellors are fully insured and RSVP is an organisational member of BACP and abide by their Code of Ethics and Practice.
All ISVAs have completed or are working towards completion of the Lime Culture accredited ISVA Development Programme.
Frontline staff and volunteers receive regular clinical supervision and we offer Continued Professional Development (CPD) and relevant training to ensure we continue to provide therapeutic services of the highest standard.
Training and qualification certificates are available on request.
Policies & Procedures
All RSVP staff and volunteers adhere to the strictest policies and procedures to ensure the safety and consistency of our service.
Download our safeguarding policies here:
– RSVP Adult Safeguarding Policy
– RSVP Child Safeguarding Policy
The following policies are available upon request by emailing info@rsvporg.co.uk:
- RSVP Equal Opportunities Policy
- RSVP Complaints Policy
- RSVP Data Protection Policy
- RSVP Recruitment Policy
- RSVP Training and Development Policy
- RSVP Volunteer Policy
- RSVP Whistleblowing
Regulatory and Ethical Compliance
RSVP is an organisation that works hard to comply with the ‘General Data Protection Regulations,’ as outlined in our RSVP Data Protection Policy (above). We also adhere to the following documents:
- BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions
- BACP Ethical Guidelines for Researching Counselling and Psychotherapy
Financial Information
As part of our commitment to organisational transparency, our historic and current financial information can be viewed via the Charity Commission Website. Please click here for more information.
To read our 2022-23 Annual Impact Report click here
To read our 2021-2022 Annual Impact Report click here
Our new charity number is 1134387. Through our old charity structure (charity number 508669) we’ve been supporting survivors since 1978.