We’re here for you

COVID-19

After a disruptive and distressing year for all, we are delighted to be welcoming more people back for face to face support.

Recent changes in our approach surrounding COVID-19 have been made to reflect the most recent guidance and legislation issued by UK Government. Under current UK legislation, risk assessments are required to be carried out before re-opening workplaces. We feel it’s important that you have access to our risk assessments and are informed about the steps we’ve taken to ensure that our RSVP workplaces comply with current UK legislation and are COVID-19 secure.  

RSVP may look and operate a little differently to what you remember but we are still here to support you.  We’ve made adaptions to our city centre premises and outreach sites to protect you, our team and continue to play our part in reducing the spread of infection. The risk assessment measures are in place to protect everyone, whilst continuing to offer support in the best way we can, given current circumstances.

We hope these risk assessments reassure you of the steps we’ve taken to keep you safe and provide you with an idea of how RSVP will look whilst hygiene and social distancing measures are in place. Please find our risk assessments below:

Our other outreach sites remain closed. We’ll keep you updated as and when they re-open.

Please click below for information surrounding our COVID-19 Secure measures for children & young people.

We are unable to resume face to face social groups, coffee mornings and Arts with Hearts due to spacing issues and social distancing guidelines. However, groups are taking place virtually. For more details, please get in touch by emailing info@rsvporg.co.uk

Our support is here, and you can choose to access it face to face, by phone or online. We’re here for you.

Sending continued care and compassion,

The RSVP Team

Corona Virus & COVID-19

We have been monitoring the health situation with Coronavirus carefully in order to protect your health, the health of our team and the health of people who visit us too. We have already been following public health and Government advice and been encouraging hand washing and the use of hand sanitiser to reduce the risk of infection. 

Since the Government has moved to the next phase of advice we want to update you, as we want to play our part in reducing the spread of the virus and protecting the most vulnerable. 

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we ask that anyone with symptoms, a new and persistent cough and/or a temperature/fever does not come to the RSVP office or into an outreach site. Please stay at home and wait until the symptoms have passed and self isolate.

Please click here and read this advice if you do need to self-isolate.

Support by telephone can be arranged and is available, please speak to the office to ask about this.

We will not count counselling sessions which have been missed due to Coronavirus, self-isolation or caring for children if schools shut down.

Also, if you have been into RSVP or an outreach site, and then have a positive diagnosis of Corona Virus, please inform us.

We hope this gives you some clear information and advice. We will continue to monitor the situation and do our best to look after your health while receiving RSVP services. Take good care.

We Are Winners!

December 2019 saw our excellent team acknowledged as double award winners, thanks to the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC).

First, we were pleasantly surprised to win Charity of the Year, especially against such stiff competition from the other great charities nominated. The judges said our work stood out and that they could see the huge impact we had on society and also, the ways in which we had sustained and grown our services particularly through austerity and challenging economic times.

Then before the shock had eased we also won the Overall Business of the Year Award. We couldn’t believe it!

While we don’t work at RSVP solely to win awards, these awards mean so much to us and are for each and every member of the RSVP team. Our volunteers and staff work tirelessly for children and adults subjected to sexual violence and sexual abuse. We all take bold steps, show survivors that we believe them, in a world that often doesn’t, and demonstrate big hearted support. We ensure that people can live hopeful and confident futures after sexual trauma. I am so proud of the huge and meaningful differences that the RSVP team helps to make for children and adults subjected to sexual abuse.

Finally, we very much appreciate the recognition from the ABCC. Their support means the world to us and shows that they value the importance of what we do and the impact that we make. Warm thanks to the ABCC for not only acknowledging what we do but for being so willing to speak out and acknowledge the issues surrounding rape and sexual violence within society. It was amazing to hear ABCC judges say: “RSVP deals with real challenges, changing lives for the better, with limited resources and empowers individuals to take charge of their lives. They are richly deserved winners, and I would like to congratulate them and all of the other winning firms which have demonstrated excellence in their categories.” Thank you again. 

Lisa Thompson, CEO

Thank you BVH

A huge heartfelt thank you to Bournville Harriers (BVH) running club who had their Christmas party on Friday. Through their raffle they kindly raised £212 for us and another fabulous local charity, St. Mary’s Hospice. £106 will buy 26 public transport tickets so that any child or adult who needs to travel to us for an appointment, but can’t afford to, can be given a day travel ticket. This means they never have to miss out on receiving our support. That is truly fabulous, thank you!

As if this generosity wasn’t enough they also donated some festive party headbands and glasses so we can donate them to some of the children and families we support. This is just a very small selection of them! We hope that these will bring a little bit of festive fun and laughter at what can be a difficult time for many.

Thanks again BVH for your continued kindness and generosity. We really appreciate your efforts from all the different ways you’ve fundraised for us, including every single one of your runners who have run sponsored runs for us, and every member who has donated to these runs too. It means the world to us to have your support. Happy Christmas all.

Drop-in group Fri 27th Dec

On Friday 27th December we’ll be holding a survivor drop-in group session from 10.30-12.30. Join us for a cup of tea and a mince pie. All current and previous clients welcome. No need to book, just turn up to our city centre premises.

We know that Christmas can be a tough time. You’re not alone.

Invitation to participate in research about specialist services for survivors

Would you like to take part in a study aimed at understanding the support survivors of sexual violence receive from specialist voluntary sector services? If so, please read on…..

Study background

Researchers at the University of Birmingham are carrying out a research project about the role of specialist sector voluntary services who support survivors of sexual violence. Despite their historically important role providing and innovating services in this field, there is very limited evidence about what they do and how they work alongside other services (such as health, mental health, housing, etc). With limited evidence, it can be difficult to understand and demonstrate the role of specialist sector voluntary services.

Study aims

The aim of the research is to develop a comprehensive national picture of specialist voluntary sector services for survivors in England, giving voice to survivors’ service experiences, comparing the range, scope and funding of services, and analysing similarities and differences in how services are delivered and commissioned, in order to make recommendations that will strengthen the service response to survivors.

What will be involved?

Adult survivors of sexual violence and abuse are invited to take part in a focus group (an interview in the form of a group discussion with 6-10 other people) which seeks your views about the services you have used, the ways they could be improved and what the researchers should ask organisations and funders of specialist voluntary sector services. It will take place at RSVP’s city centre premises on Wednesday 19th February 2020, 2.30pm. The group will be women-only and last for approximately one hour and the researchers want to say thank you in the form of a £45 voucher.

You are eligible to participate if:

• You identify as a survivor of sexual violence or abuse
• You are 18 years old or over
• You are female (a men-only focus group is taking place in another part of the country)
• The sexual violence occurred more than six months ago
• You have used a voluntary sector specialist service within the last 3 years

If you meet these criteria we would really like to hear from you. To participate, or find out more, please contact:

At RSVP:

Sarah Lafford: sarah@rsvporg.co.uk / 0121 643 0301

From the research team:

Clare Gunby: c.e.gunby@bham.ac.uk / 0121 414 3345

Louise Isham: l.j.isham@bham.ac.uk / 0121 414 8591

If you would like to take part but don’t want to take part in a group discussion, or are male, please get in contact with the researcher who will arrange a different way to hear your views.

Counselling evaluation report

If you’ve used our services and support our work in any way, you’ll probably know that the counselling service for adults has been busier than ever. Although we’ve increased capacity over recent years, opening seven days a week and operating from seven sites across Birmingham and Solihull, people have had to wait months for their counselling sessions to start.

This is part of a national crisis in the sector, but we want to reflect on what we can do locally as an organisation to reduce waiting times while still offering trauma-informed, survivor-centred support. We have commissioned an independent evaluation into our counselling service for adult survivors of sexual violence. Part one of the two-part report is here.

Some of the findings: Specialist providers, like RSVP, have seen an unprecedented rise in demand for their services in recent years, resulting in most agencies having 6-12 months waiting times and some agencies even closed their waiting lists to new clients.

In the research period, adult counselling at RSVP’s city centre and outreach locations grew from 179 sessions per week to 190 per week.

RSVP provide groups, written self-help and an online self-help tool for people while they wait for counselling, but survey and focus group respondents didn’t always know about these things. We need to advertise these services more.

People don’t always know that to expect from counselling, and would benefit from more information so they could feel better prepared and make the most of their counselling. We will compose a pre-counselling information sheet.

A service for supporters was recommended. We are piloting two groups, one for parents of sexually abused children, one for other supporters of survivors (partners, friends etc). Contact us on 0121 643 0301 if you would like attend a supporters group.

If you have any comments on the report, please contact Sarah Lafford sarah@rsvporg.co.uk

Outstanding Charity of the Year nomination

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) award for Outstanding Charity of the Year.

We’re in very good company! Other shortlisted charities Muslim Aid, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, Sense and Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer.

The winner will be announced at the annual dinner and awards event at The National Motorcycle Museum on Saturday, 7 December.

Thank you so much to the chamber for shortlisting us, and showing your big-hearted support to people subjected to sexual violence.

Meet Nicola – RSVP’s newest LGBT Independent Sexual Violence Advocate

Hi, I’m Nicola and I’m the newest edition to the LGBT ISVA team at RSVP. I joined at the beginning of September and feel very privileged to be a part of this family. I started at RSVP as a volunteer counsellor originally and I will always say my role as a LGBT Independent Sexual Violence Advocate was fate.

As I was travelling in for my counselling role, I thought about trying to organise an LGBT coffee morning group and when I arrived, I saw the ISVA role advertised and applied immediately.

Being a part of the LGBT community myself, it was really important to me to be able to offer support in this specialist area. If you identify as being a part of the LGBT+ community and have ever experienced rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse at ANY point in your life, I am here to help. Sexual violence can affect anyone regardless of their gender identity or what type of relationship they’re in.

Quoted from the Love is a Rainbow website “Unfortunately; our silence on these matters has meant that criminals and deviants are allowed to continue with their nefarious misdeeds. Nobody is going to challenge the social injustice that we face, unless we ourselves start taking control of the steering wheel. The suffering that we face as a result of sexual violence is individualized and therefore does not inspire the requisite strategic response that has traditionally been used to combat societal problems such as armed robbery.

The statistics are certainly alarming enough: between 40% and 60% of all women within the LGBT+ community are bound to face at least once incident of physical violence, rape and stalking by an intimate partner. Up to 37% of men within this community will experience similar aggression. The statistics of successful prosecutions are hidden far away from public view. Sometimes it appears that nobody is worried if LGBT+ people become victims of crime. The implicit message is that the community is deserving of such treatment.

It is also important to emphasize the fact that the LGBT+ community is just like any other. There are misfits and troublemakers. Therefore; it is expected that a few bad eggs will make the cut. The real dilemma is how we can deal with this threat of violence. The fact that the victims are largely silent also reduces the possibilities of challenging those who are trampling on our rights. Suffering in silence has never won us any rights. Indeed, many of the things that we have achieved as a community are directly linked to a certain level of militancy and persistent advocacy.”

So, how can I support you?

*Ensure your views, opinions, wishes and needs are understood, respected, listened to and met
*Inform and support you about your options, concentrating on what you need and want
*Ensure you understand and receive your legal rights and entitlements if you report to the police
*Inform you of other options you might have
*Offer compassionate support to people who are supporting you – your partner, friends and family
*Arranging appointments, referring you, or possibly going with you, to other support services, such as counselling, domestic abuse and refuge support, drug/alcohol services and health appointments
*Arranging appointments and referring you to sexual health services via Umbrella Sexual Health
*Arrange for, and support you to attend SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) if you have been recently assaulted, if police are involved or not, for the possible collection of forensic evidence

I am here to provide practical and emotional support and help you express your views and wishes. Make sure your voice is heard and you are aware of services you have access to.

If you are thinking about reporting to the police, I will offer you support throughout the criminal proceedings, which I understand may feel scary but I am here to support you. You call the ISVA office on 0121 643 0301 option 2 or email on isva@rsvporg.co.uk

You are valued and you don’t have to feel you are on your own.

The Sexual Violence Epidemic at UK Universities

This blog post was written by Simran Grewal, a recent graduate.

University is an important milestone for a lot of students, the beginning of their journey into adulthood. For many, it’s a time to explore independence and mingle with new people, whilst discovering new levels of knowledge. However, these university experiences are increasingly becoming tainted, as sexual violence and harassment across universities in the UK are becoming prevalent.

In 2018, Revolt Sexual Assault and The Student Room conducted research that found ‘62% of all students and recent graduates surveyed had experienced sexual violence’. Further research showed that only ‘6% of those who had experienced sexual assault or harassment reported their experience to the university’ and only ‘2% felt both able to report it to their university and were then satisfied with the reporting processes‘. These statistics suggest that universities aren’t meeting their responsibilities in making campuses safe, and responding appropriately when assaults do happen.

An example of a university incident regarding sexual violence and harassment, is the infamous incident that has become known as the ‘University of Warwick Rape Chat’ that occurred in 2018. Male students had made horrific rape threats against their female peers on a group chat, and although two of the students were banned from the campus for 10 years, this sentence was reduced to 12 months, raising concerns about the way in which the university was handling the investigation, and their priorities in ensuring the safety and care of their students. The way in which universities respond to reports of sexual violence, sets a precedence concerning student wellbeing. However, ‘many universities in England have no dedicated staff to investigate hate crimes or sexual misconduct’, whilst some universities ‘use the same disciplinary hearings for sexual violence that they use for plagiarism’. The lack of staff, regulations, and aftercare at Universities negatively impacts students who need the support, resulting in feelings of isolation.

The common phrase, ‘prevention is better than the cure’, should be taken into account by Universities in regards to sexual violence. A survey conducted by Brook & Dig-In, found that ‘only 15% said unwanted sexual behaviour counted as sexual harassment, and only half (52%) said they understood that someone could not consent to sex if they were drunk’. This shows the lack of understanding surrounding sexual violence and harassment, and perhaps, preventative measures such as better sex education in schools, are urgently needed. Nevertheless, not all Universities are neglecting their duty. For example, Edinburgh University recently held events focused on the importance of consent during their Fresher’s Week, in collaboration with the Consent Collective.

If you have been affected by sexual violence at university, you can speak to our friendly team about emotional and practical support available to you on 0121 643 0301 or info@rsvporg.co.uk. Or call the helpline on 0121 643 4136