Safeline is very proud to be working with partners to highlight the support available for survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Coventry & Warwickshire. The campaign launched on 13th December 2021 and continues until 28 March 2022 and can be found using #16weeksofaction.
Over the course of the 16 weeks, each of the local support services will take a lead on promoting what they do to get messages out to local communities. This includes the Blue Sky Centre SARC, Relate, Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council, West Midlands Police and Warwickshire Police, Coventry Haven, Valley House, Safeline and CRASAC. This week (17 January) Safeline is taking the lead.
Coventry and Warwickshire have been working together to ensure that victims/survivors have access to the services that they need. Safeline has well established and effective referral pathways/partnerships and protocols in place with over 60 local services/organisations. These agencies account for 58% of all victims/survivors who access our services.
What can a survivor or their friends or family expect when they contact Safeline?
Safeline believes that survivors of sexual violence and anyone affected, need specialist support, which is timely, flexible, holistic, long-term, accessible, inclusive, free, and not geographically restricted so that is what we provide. Survivors, their friends and families are supported whether the abuse has been reported to the police or not, and regardless of when it happened.
Our services are trauma-informed, comprehensive, integrated and tailored to the individual. 50%+ of our clients access more than one of our services; and 35% are supported for more than 12 months. All our services are independently accredited against best-practice quality standards. Safeline also works to prevent sexual violence through its Prevention & Early Intervention and mental wellbeing programmes for children aged 9 – 18 who are vulnerable and/or survivors of sexual violence. (60% of participants in our primary school programmes are survivors of sexual violence). We also train teachers, parents, caregivers in how to spot the signs of Child Sexual Abuse and how to support child survivors.
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, it is important to speak to someone about the assault as soon as possible in order to get support. The Blue-Sky Centre offers free & confidential advice about next steps. They can be contacted on 0800 970 0370 or visit the website www.blueskycentre.org.uk
Follow and repost #16weeksofaction to spread the word and raise awareness.
