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Vagina Monologues – and cupcakes!
A big thank you to all involved with the Infinity Stage Company at University of Birmingham who are donating £986 to RSVP. These are the profits from their award-winning production of the Vagina Monologues, which included some rather special cupcakes. The show was named ‘Best Event’ by the University of Birmingham student’s guild – a well deserved award. Congratulations Infinity!
Infinity Stage Company are a charity student theatre group who have been raising money for RSVP this entire academic year and had already raised over £800 for us from their Christmas Ball, raffles, and other shows. Find put more about them and their upcoming shows at www.facebook.com/InfinityStageCompany
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We’re recruiting: Refugee and asylum seeker support worker
We are recruiting a part-time support worker to work 8 hours a week from our office in central Birmingham. The role will provide vital practical and crisis support to refugees and asylum seekers affected by sexual violence and abuse.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 23rd April 2017, 5pm. Please email applications to info@rsvporg.co.uk
Please download and read all the below documents so you have all the information you need to make your application.
If you would like to discuss this vacancy further, please contact Anjella Darcy or Sarah Lafford on 0121 643 0301 / info@rsvporg.co.uk
This post has been made possible with support from Henry Smith Charity.
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Women and Sexism in the Rock and Metal Industry
Women and Sexism in the Rock and Metal Industry event is a joint collaboration between the University of Birmingham Rock Society and Women’s Association in light of National Women’s History month. We will be looking at how women are presented in the rock and metal music industry, in terms of female fronted bands or lack of, women behind the scenes and also sexual harassment at gigs.
The event will be a series of short talks and presentations from a number of guest speakers, such as music academics Dr Asya Draganova and Jasmine Shadrack, members of progressive groove metal band Aramantus, current student and writer Rosie Solomon, the Not On Campaign and the organiser and President of the Rock Society, Anna Pitts.
There hasn’t been an event of this kind done before by the Rock Society and as the first female president of the society in a long time I felt responsible to raise awareness of these issues that affect women in the industry. I came up with the idea for this event as I’m very passionate about the topic of women and sexism within the rock and metal genre and I feel that these issues are rarely discussed. Also, I had spoken to a lot of female students who had experienced these issues at gigs and it becomes a norm to just brush off sexual harassment in this environment which is not right.
I’ve chosen to collect donations for RSVP as it is a charity that is directly relevant to helping people who have experienced sexual harassment, assault and rape such as we will be discussing at the event, in the context of music gigs and festivals. Also, the work the charity does is so vital and I thought it was important to raise awareness of the support available and to reduce the stigma around speaking out about the issue of sexual assault which was one of the main reasons for organising the event. Finally, as RSVP is a local charity I wanted the event to give back and help our local community in Birmingham, especially with the recent targeting and sexual assault of female students around the Selly Oak area.
The event will be taking place on Saturday 18th March, 6-8pm in the Rosa Parks room of the Guild of Students at University of Birmingham. Find out more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1420530174687167/
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‘Take me out’ at Aston University
Thank you to Sultana Rahmen and her friends at Aston University who organised their own unique version of ‘Take Me Out’ and raised almost £500 for RSVP.
You can read Sultana’s entertaining blog post about the evening at: https://shewhothoughtwrote.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/nolikeynolighty-things-just-got-a-little-spicy/
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The internet in the therapeutic space
Below is an extract of a blog from Catherine Knibbs on internet use, social media and devices and the ethical questions that arise from counsellors in the therapeutic space.
There are many approaches and guidelines around how to use equipment you find in the kitchen. Call them directions, user guides or instructions, aka destructions in my household as no one ever reads them. Therein lies the problem…#skimming or #ignoring or #doesntapplytome (I’m using hashtags # to highlight the fact that this can be trend/pattern.
So if there was indeed a user guide for cyberspace would you ignore it? Skim over it? Throw it in the bin or digest every ounce of the contents? Did you know a document such as this actually exists for counsellors and psychotherapists and has done for a while?
That’s the one. Have you read it? What do you think about it, what are your reflections and what rights do you think you have for using your social media accounts as you see fit? What do you think about your clients and their social media usage?
Do you have rights? Do your clients? What might these be? What do you expect from the sites and applications (programs) that you use when it comes to privacy, harassment, location services and your right to express yourself as a human being on the Internet?
Ethical dilemma after ethical dilemma right?
What about the question that can often go unnoticed… What happens about your past or your opinions of today becoming your future? (or future past for that matter)
What effect will this have on you or your clients?
I have deliberately put questions forward in this article to get you thinking. Please feel free to feedback and let’s open this up for debate, I’m sure you will be surprised at both your response and others too. (I should also insert a comment about trolling and respect for each other, however the point is exactly that- – you never know the response that will occur after posting).
Now onto working with clients who bring technology into the room, again what rights do you have a counsellor to insist that the device is turned off or not brought into your room? Why would this be ethical or unethical? Do you know about geolocation and tagging? (go and google these terms if you’re not sure)
Would this have an effect on your practice? Do you have a right to have your device in the room?
What about access to the Internet? What about the content a client may show you that is on their phone? (Think #sexting and #underageconsent). Do you know enough about the internet to know what apps are safe, underage, ethical, secret or indeed coercive?
Read the rest of Catherine’s blog on her website www.cybertrauma.com
Catherine will be discussing these questions and more at the Cybertrauma training on Wednesday 8th March.
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We’re recruiting volunteer counsellors
If you’re a qualified or student counsellor, you could make a huge difference to the lives of survivors of sexual violence by joining RSVP as a volunteer. You will be fully supported by a professional team and be part of a unique, specialised service in central Birmingham.
Counsellors support survivors of any kind of sexual violence, including rape, childhood sexual abuse, forced prostitution and sexual assault.
There are 12 spaces available. The deadline for applications is Thursday 27th April, and should be sent via email to info@rsvporg.co.uk
More information, including interview and training dates, and the application form are in the links below.
Volunteer-Counselling-Cover-letter
Application_for_volunteer_counsellor_2017
To discuss further, contact Maria Dillon or Katie Simpson, Team Leaders on 0121 643 0301
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Sexual Violence Awareness Week 6th February 2017 – 12th February 2017
This week has been recognised to give survivors, supporters, the general public and organisations the opportunity to share their views and generate discussion on sexual abuse and sexual violence.
During this week we hope to raise awareness about sexual abuse and sexual violence and how to help prevent it. Please follow the link below to see some more shares and discussions and even join in yourself.
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Thank you to the People’s Postcode Lottery
RSVP have been awarded £18,818 from the People’s Postcode Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. A huge thank you to the trust and players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. The funds will be used to create self-help support and resources for survivors of sexual abuse.
There is a great need for therapeutic support that has lasting impact on the wellbeing of survivors. Self-help techniques ensure increased wellbeing that is sustainable as survivors have the tools, techniques and emotional literacy to cope in the future.
We will create a package of written self-help information, available online and in print on topics and issues important to survivors. We will also deliver a programme of group support, where survivors can receive peer support.
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Infinity fundraising update
Some lovely news to share before Christmas – the kind folk at Infinity Stage Company organised a fundraising ball for us earlier this month, and raised a fantastic amount for RSVP. £846 to be precise!
Infinity chose RSVP as their charity of the year for this academic year, and they’re already making a real difference. A big thank you to the whole team.
If you’re interested in checking out their work – you can see them in a production of the Vagina Monologues in February at the University of Birmingham. Check their Facebook page for more information www.facebook.com/InfinityStageCompany
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New training: Cybertrauma 8th March 2017
Wednesday 8th March 2017
9.30am-4.30pm
Cybertrauma: A new paradigm for working with cyberspace issues in therapy and beyond.
What do you do if a child has Tinder on their smartphone?
What if a client asks to record you in session?
This training will look at the online world for children and young people, as well as adults, whether that be gaming consoles, PCs, tablets or smartphones. The training will looks at the issues, and pitfalls that people face online, how this affects the person and their ability to engage in interpersonal relationships, how to practically work with these issues.
What will be covered?
- What does cybertrauma mean?
- What happens when a person is traumatised online?
- Attatchment theory, use of devices, and the distinction from addiction
- Introduction to attachment and how this relates to devices and cyberspace
- Introduction to Polyvagal communication (how and why we communicate online the way we do)
- Ethics, the law and your practice.
Parts of the training include discussion based learning/breakout sessions.
E-safety leaflets will be provided and a handy guide to take home with you.
There will no doubt be more questions by the end of the session as cyberspace is ever evolving and the material is constantly updated to reflect this.
About the trainer: Catherine Knibbs is a child sex abuse therapist and founder/CEO of Peer Support Yorkshire CIC, a service for child trauma, abuse and attachment. Catherine conducts research into the affects of cyberspace on young people’s interpersonal connections. Before training as a therapist, Catherine worked in gaming and computers.
Location: Priory Rooms, Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull St, Birmingham B4 6AF
Cost: £90 (voluntary orgs / individuals) £105 (Statutory / private orgs) + booking fee
About the trainer: Catherine Knibbs is a child sex abuse therapist and founder/CEO of Peer Support Yorkshire CIC, a service for child trauma, abuse and attachment. Catherine conducts research into the affects of cyberspace on young people’s interpersonal connections. Before training as a therapist, Catherine worked in gaming and computers.
