Commissioner renews funding for sexual violence projects achieving 100% victim satisfaction

Survivors of sexual violence and their families will continue to benefit from two life-changing support services thanks to extra funding from Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen.

The County Durham and Darlington PCC has agreed to provide a grant worth £11,959 to the Keystone Project to deliver further support for the next 12 months.

The project, run by the Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (RSACC), provides one-to-one support to parents and carers of children who have experienced sexual abuse in the county

In recent impact data, 100% of service users rated the support they received through the project as excellent.

All agreed they had a better understanding of what had happened to them and how it affected them, were able to recognise abusive relationships and behaviour, and felt more empowered to make decisions about their future while feeling less lonely and isolated.

One recent service user commented: “I learned so much from the group, in terms of education but also about myself.Learning how perpetrators work was eye opening but helped me see why I didn't spot anything, they are so clever.

“I don't feel guilty anymore. The group felt very safe and supportive and hopefully we will keep in touch with each other so the support can continue.”

Another attendee added: “As a male attender, I was supported, and it gave me a place to voice how I was feeling instead of just keeping it bottled up. Everyone was very understanding and didn't judge. It felt safe.”

The unique service provides a safe space for parents and carers to explore their emotional response to what has happened to their child, as well as offering the opportunity to learn about trauma responses and coping strategies and look at resources that may help to support their child.

Parents have benefitted from both one-to-one sessions and group therapy.

In a further project, the PCC has provided funding for RSACC’s Trauma-Informed Peer Groups.

These specialist groups are free of charge and run for 10 weeks. They enable survivors of sexual violence to access safe and confidential space to talk about their thoughts and feelings without judgement. Attendees explore their shared experiences and learn about the impact of trauma responses and rape myths, which can feed into feelings of self-blame.

The PCC has vowed to deliver a first-class service to all victims of crime. Her new Police, Crime and Justice Plan puts victims front and centre, and contains a series of commitments to improve the support they receive by learning lessons from victims with lived experience of the criminal justice system.

Among these is a promise to ensure victims receive a high-quality service at every stage of their case and that all entitlements under the Victims Code are delivered consistently.

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “More than 120 individuals and families have benefited from these projects over the past year and to achieve a 100% satisfaction rating is nothing short of extraordinary. I am delighted to continue funding these resources for a further year for more individuals and families to benefit.

“Sexual violence has a far-reaching emotional and psychological impact that extends far beyond the immediate victim. These unique services allow attendees to learn effective coping mechanisms to navigate the complex feelings of guilt, shame, self-blame, anger and helplessness that accompany such traumatic experiences.  

“It is clear from the testimonies of service users that these projects are having a marked difference on mental health and well being. I am grateful to the RSACC team for their ongoing expertise, compassion and commitment.”

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