Introduction- The Survivors Trust.
The Survivors Trust (TST) is a national umbrella agency for over 135 specialist rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse support organisations throughout the UK and Ireland.
Our Trustee Board is exclusively made up of Managers and Directors of rape and sexual abuse support services. Our core aim is to empower survivors or rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse through supporting and improving effective responses to survivors. Member organisations provide a range of direct services to survivors including counselling, support, helplines and advocacy services for women, men and children.
We provide support and networking for member agencies; deliver accredited training; raise awareness about rape and sexual abuse and its effect on supervisors, their support and society at large; promote effective responses to rape and sexual abuse on a local, regional and national level.
TST supports working in ways that recognise human rights and dignity; demonstrate understanding of the role of gender in the impact of sexual violence and abuse on women and men; appreciate the variety of human experience and culture; demonstrate a commitment to showing justice in dealing with all others; and encourage development and improvement of responses to all survivors.
New Centre- Central Lancashire.
Central Lancashire is an area particularly lacking in specialist sexual support for victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
The new rape support centre will be developing its services over the next three years to offer specialist counselling, support and advocacy to women, men, young people and children who have been raped or sexually abused either recently or in the past.
Central Lancashire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre will offer a helpline, specialist sexual violence counselling, emotional and practical support for anyone whose life has been affected by rape or sexual abuse at any time. It is anticipated that the centre will be launched in January 2014.