Annual Review 2017-2018 www.osarcc.org.uk
Contents Introduction....................................... 2
Introduction
Vision, mission and aims................... 3 Core values........................................ 3 Support services................................ 4 Service provision .............................. 4 Who we supported & Outcomes....... 5 Feedback........................................... 6 Volunteering...................................... 8 Training and awareness raising.......... 8 Outreach and partnership................. 9 Our Theory of Change..................... 10 Finances........................................... 11 Support our work............................ 11 Thank you........................................ 12
In a year of #timesup and #metoo, and more survivors than ever before giving voice to their experience, it’s clear the need for our services remains crucial. We ensure that survivors are able to access support when they need it, whilst continuing to educate and inform policy, practice, and public understanding. As Millicent Fawcett said “courage calls to courage everywhere, and its voice cannot be denied”. The increased public conversation about sexual violence enables us to continue our work in raising awareness and working towards the elimination of violence against women and girls.
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The support I received at OSARCC showed me the importance of a women-only safe space where I could share what happened to me and explore a positive way forward. Such a valuable experience – thank you.
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The woman I spoke to was really nice, really comforting, she really listened… she made me realise like I’m not as alone as I thought. Helpline service user, 2017
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Nevertheless, over the 39 years since OSARCC was formed, the number of people needing support consistently outweighs our capacity to deliver. We know that survivors deserve better. We firmly believe that they should be able access support as needed, but, unfortunately, securing funding to deliver services at the level required remains a constant challenge.
Helpline service user, 2017 We are proud of the work we do, made possible by the dedication of our staff and volunteers, providing specialist support to women across the county. This year we have been able to increase our outreach work in schools, and also our provision of therapeutic support.
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We have invested time in developing our internal processes to improve our efficiency and practice, including the improvement of our monitoring, evaluation and learning processes, to ensure that survivors’ needs are at the core of our work.
Lisa Ward Director
Sally Copley Chair of Trustees
Vision, mission, and aims
Core values l
We do not try to influence survivors to take any particular action, nor do we try to impose our views on their decisions. We help service users to explore their options, in a way that does not pressure them to choose any specific path.
Our vision For women and girls to be free from the fear, experience, and stigma of sexual violence and supported when it does occur.
Our mission
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To support women survivors of sexual violence, promote and advocate for their needs, and work towards the elimination of sexual violence.
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To provide a diverse range of effective services that meet the needs of women and girls in Oxfordshire who are affected by sexual violence. To raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of sexual violence and the need for specialist services to support survivors.
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To challenge and change public attitudes about sexual violence in Oxfordshire and beyond.
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To explore the gap in services for male survivors and those survivors with complex gender identities, and seek to create a strategy to address this lack of provision.
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Confidentiality Whatever a survivor tells us is confidential to the organisation within safeguarding limits.
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Free All of our services are free of charge in order to be accessible to all survivors.
Women-led We believe that sexual violence is both a cause and consequence of the inequality and discrimination that women face. We are therefore committed to challenging such discrimination in our work, to running our services for women and by women, to delivering our services in a safe, women-only space, and to working within a feminist empowerment approach.
We aim to empower survivors to make their own decisions and to support them in whatever way they need. l
Committed to good practice We strive to ensure the best quality service at all times and work in line with the Rape Crisis England and Wales National Service Standards.
Non-judgmental Empowerment
Challenging discrimination We are a non-directive and nonjudgmental organisation, but we will challenge discrimination in any form.
We do not judge survivors or other OSARCC members on their decisions.
Our aims We have set ambitious aims for the next few years to ensure both delivery of our mission, and that we continue to grow and develop as an organisation:
Non-directive
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Belief We believe what survivors tell us. Furthermore, we firmly believe that sexual violence is never the fault of the survivor and we actively seek to challenge this myth.
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Service provision
Support services Telephone helpline and email support Providing listening support, information, and signposting to women survivors of any age, and supporters of survivors. Support is delivered by volunteers who undertake more than 60 hours of training.
Helpline
Support groups
(289 hours of support) 640 calls @
Providing face-to-face support for women survivors over 18, in closed groups of eight women over 12 weeks. Groups are delivered on a semi-structured model and are tailored to meet the needs of the women accessing the service.
Independent Sexual Violence Advocacy (ISVA) Providing practical and emotional support to women over the age of 18 around the criminal justice system, housing, health, and finance.
ISVA
supported (403 hours) 98 women
Counselling Providing one-to-one support to women survivors over the age of 18. Counselling is provided by volunteer counsellors who have undertaken both counselling training, and OSARCC’s internal training.
SUPPORT
sent 267 emails
Counselling
43
women helped over 342 sessions
SEE (Support, Empower, Educate) project Providing support to women and girls aged 14-18 through Empowerment Work and Counselling, and delivering prevention work in schools.
Support groups
EMPOWER 4
EDUCATE
15
service users helped over 24 sessions
Who we supported & Outcomes Age range
Presenting incident
36%
Unknown: 4%
23% 15%
13%
2%
5% 18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
Rape: 32%
Childhood sexual abuse: 36%
6%
65-74 Unknown
Sexual Domestic Sexual violence: violence: exploitation: 9% 1% 32%
Outcomes Area
oxfordshire (unspecified)
Outcomes for service users have improved or remained the same across all areas. We are especially pleased to see such large numbers of women reporting high levels of satisfaction with our service, and more women feeling able to access further support when needed (compared to 2016-17 data). We also spent time over the past year looking at our outcomes framework and Theory of Change (see page 10) and will be relaunching our outcomes framework in 2019. Feel more in control of their lives
Better health and wellbeing
More able to access further support
More able to develop and maintain positive relationships
More able to assert their rights
Satisfaction (excellent or good)
Support groups
100%
100%
100%
50%
75%
100%
ISVA
89%
100%
78%
50%
81%
100%
Helpline & Email
100%
100%
100%
N/A
N/A
100%
Counselling
88%
100%
88%
100%
100%
100%
2%
cherwell West Oxfordshire
16%
outside oxfordshire
1%
8%
oxford
44%
vale of white horse
12%
south Oxfordshire
13%
unknown
4%
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Feedback 2017/18
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The Support Group gave me a safe place to be me. To be heard without being judged.
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I am so happy I joined the group, it’s given me a lot more than I could express. Like a positive sense of my future.
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I finally feel safe to be open to love, kindness and compassion after years of anger, fear and constant soul-destroying resentment. I will be forever grateful for OSARCC’s courage, strength, kindness and understanding towards myself and all the other women in the Support Group. It has been a gift to spend time with such inspirational women.
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Helpline Service
Counselling Service
Support Group
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OSARCC is truly a safe space. It’s been an important part of my journey on the road to recovery. After several weeks of counselling I feel a part of me has started to heal and I’m starting to feel like myself again. Thank you.
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“ Counselling at OSARCC has helped” “ me massively. I feel like I have so much OSARCC have helped me find me.
support and that I genuinely matter to those that work there. It has been an incredibly valuable place for me.
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I went in as a completely different person than who I am now. The centre was a friendly, safe place and no judgements were made.
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The woman I spoke to was really nice, really comforting, she really listened... She made me realise I’m not as alone as I thought.
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“ ” It was very individual. I got a different “ – that was very helpful. viewpoint ”
It felt like talking to a friend. She really understood where I was coming from.
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Outreach work in schools
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The input from the SEE project here has been both sensitively delivered and very impactful for the students. The project worked with the Year 9 and Year 10 cohorts over the course of two days here in school and the feedback from both was effusive and universally positive.
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Did some o somethin ne do g witho consent? ut
ISVA
“ not be ok for just a while. “
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They have helped me understand. Always been there when I’ve needed them. If I didn’t have this support I’m not sure where I would be today.
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at
uc
or
pp
” She was the only one who made it ok to
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Su
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I’d like to thank the ISVA for all her support – without her I would not have had the strength to give my evidence. To have her by my side alongside the witness box put me at ease. Being there for me after I gave my evidence (when I was a blubbering mess) was a massive help – thank you.
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We wish to be known not as victims of domestic abuse but survivors. With your help, advice and support, we are slowly but finally becoming survivors. Thank you for everything.
t· Ed Em po wer ·
t sexual Worried abou n’t know abuse and do where what to do or to turn?
In April we launched our Support, Empower, Educate (SEE) programme which provides support to young women aged 14-18 who have experienced sexual violence, and delivers preventative work in schools on consent and healthy relationships. We worked with 2901 young people, across a mix of workshops and assemblies. Feedback from these sessions was consistently high...
I now know you have the freedom to do what you want with your body.
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The most helpful thing was learning what services to contact in such situations.
” I enjoyed having open conversations about different opinions
“and learning more. “
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I now have more of an idea of what sexual consent is – it was enjoyable as well as educational.
” I was left with a clear idea of what consent is and isn’t.
“ ” I learned more about what it means to give and take consent. “ ”
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Volunteering
Training and awareness raising
Our committed team of volunteers continues to deliver a large amount of our frontline service provision, and we are hugely grateful for their hard work and tireless dedication.
As well as our specialist support work, Excellent session – really covered OSARCC also aims to improve the responses a lot of ground in an intuitive and to survivors in our wider community accessible way. though our external training programme. Great mix of talking, presentation We deliver an introduction to sexual violence module, and a session on responding to and case studies.
This year 69 volunteers contributed to our work, including supporting survivors on our helpline, email and counselling services, as well as in administration, training and fundraising roles.
disclosures of sexual violence. We also provide bespoke training days on request.
We recognise that volunteers become community champions on sexual violence locally, and therefore invest heavily in their training. Training is provided to all volunteers, aimed at developing understanding of sexual violence and its impacts, related psychological, physical and emotional issues, law and reporting, listening skills, and self care. This year we trained 40 new support service volunteers on our initial training programme.
In 2017-18 we delivered training to 209 professionals working across Oxfordshire. We also developed bespoke training for medical students.
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We continue to promote our services to GP surgeries, health professionals and other agencies to ensure we are known throughout the county. 1091 information packs were sent out to organisations across Oxfordshire.
The [volunteer trainers] were so inspiring! They were really genuine, very welcoming and such a skilled group of people. I really feel honoured to be part of such a group of women.
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OSARCC volunteer, 2018
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0800 783 6294 01865 726295
Our website had 14974 hits: a 15% increase on 2016-17. Significant work was also put into developing our social media networks via Facebook and Twitter which are proving to be effective ways of reaching key audiences.
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The training was handled in a mature, relaxed and competent way – I recommend it highly and without reservation.
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Absolutely wonderful – clear, challenging, knowledgeable and supportive.
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Above and beyond what I expected – really thorough training and I’ll be telling people about it at every opportunity.
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Outreach and partnership Outreach and partnership work enables us to increase awareness of our services, reach more women in need of support, and ensure greater financial security for our organisation.
Rape Crisis England and Wales and The Survivors Trust OSARCC is a member of both Rape Crisis England and Wales, and The Survivors Trust, and we are verified as working in line with their National Service Standards Our Director undertakes the role of Treasurer and South East Deputy Regional Representative on the board of Trustees for Rape Crisis England and Wales, and we work closely with other member centres in the South East Region sharing best practice.
Working in partnership
Anonymous reporting
Yoga Quota
We continue to be involved in advocating for improved services for survivors and working to prevent sexual violence. In order to achieve these goals OSARCC sits on the following forums and working groups:
Since 1 October 2017, survivors in Thames Valley have been able to report sexual offences to the police anonymously via an ISVA or other support agency. This means that survivors can put something on record without having to go through the criminal justice process. It also means the police have a way of indirectly contacting the survivor via a third party if they see that there is any intelligence already on that perpetrator or if more intelligence is received in the future. This approach was being used in other counties, and our ISVA took this idea to a strategic police meeting and persuaded Thames Valley Police to adopt it.
Yoga Quota’s Referral Programme creates space for people dealing with personal challenges to practise in their Oxford studio for free. Yoga Quota offer OSARCC service users the opportunity use their studio anonymously – in 201718 three women accessed this service, attending 17 sessions.
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Oxfordshire Sexual Violence Working Group
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Thames Valley Police Serious Sexual Assault Working Group
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Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Champions Network
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Kingfisher extended team meeting
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Crown Court User meeting
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Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Operational Group
We also work closely with the nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre, the Crown Prosecution Service, Thames Valley Police, Local Community Safety Partnerships and Thames Valley Police Crime Commissioner.
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OSARCC Theory of Change Sexual violence against women and girls causes enormous and long-lasting harm and limits women’s and girls’ freedom, equality and human rights
THE PROBLEM
SERVICES & ACTIVITIES
Charitable aims
To preserve and protect the health and relieve the distress and trauma of women who have experienced sexual violence
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Support services
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Prevention services
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Engagement with service users
OUTPUTS
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Increased provision of holistic services for women and girls More and diverse beneficiaries supported
Intermediary outcomes
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Services are co-produced
LONG-TERM outcomes
Improved outcomes for service users
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Increased understanding of consent
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Improved health and well-being for service users More service users achieve self-defined goals
IMPACT
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To advance public education about all matters related to sexual violence
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Volunteer training Education, campaigns and awareness raising Evaluation and research
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Diverse volunteer body with capacity to deliver services Volunteers and professionals with new skills Better quality evidence
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Greater professional and public awareness & empowerment
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Organisations use OSARCC evidence l
Volunteers access new opportunities Policy and practice more responsive to survivor needs OSARCC recognised as Centre of Expertise
FEEDBACK 10
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Reduced incidence of sexual violence Reduced pressure and costs for public services Survivors, staff and volunteers empowered Culture shift from blame to accountability More supportive local and national policy and strategy
Finances
Support our work Fundraise
Total incoming resource has increased to £381,045 during the year compared to £328,247 the previous year. Resource expenditure has increased to £323,365 from £243,209. A large amount of our funding is restricted income, and we received money in 2017-18 which is to be spent in 2018-19. Our current reserves has reduced to £104,018 which equates to three months running costs for our 2018-19 budget. A full copy of our Financial Statements can be found on the Charity Commission website.
We are always looking for people to join our fundraising team. From organising abseils to running pub quizzes, we can offer flexible roles to suit your needs. We can also provide support if you’d like to organise a one-off event on our behalf.
Volunteer
Income: £381,045
Volunteers are the heart of OSARCC. We offer training for our helpline, email, text, counselling, and consent volunteers through an in-house training programme. Contact us to find out more.
n Donations: £34,266 n Government and local authority grants: £102,318 n Training income: £6,595 n Trusts and foundations: £237,866
Spread the word We always need more people to help spread the word about our work. If you are able to distribute leaflets and posters on our behalf, please let us know.
Expenditure: £323,365 n Support groups: £23,447 n ISVA: £62,782 n Volunteering and outreach: £71,204 n Counselling: £53,473 n SEE Project: £108,458
Donate today at:
www.justgiving.com/OSARCC
n Fundraising: £720
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Contact us
Thank you
If you need support, contact us in the following ways:
OSARCC would like to thank the women who contact us for helping to inspire and inform us in the work we do.
Telephone helpline: 01865 726295 / 0800 783 6294 Monday 6.30pm – 9pm Thursday 6.45pm – 8.45pm Sunday 6pm – 8.30pm Email support: support@osarcc.org.uk For information on ISVA/Counselling/Support Groups: referrals@osarcc.org.uk / 01865 725311 For administration, volunteering and media enquiries: admin@osarcc.org.uk / 01865 725311
We would also like to thank the following for their contributions to our funding and for supporting the ongoing operation of our services, without which we would be unable to provide support for survivors in Oxfordshire: Ministry of Justice Rape Support Fund Oxford City Council South Oxfordshire District Council St Michael’s and All Saints Charities The Big Lottery The MacTaggart Third Fund Oxford University Colleges Oxford University Students’ Union Thames Valley Police Crime Commissioner Doris Field Charitable Trust Souter Charitable Trust St Aldate’s Parochial Charity Mr & Mrs J A Pye’s Charitable Settlement Future Building Fund
Lloyds Bank Foundation Marlborough Charitable Trust Nightshift Magazine Thames Valley Police Our partner agencies in Oxfordshire and across the UK Volunteer Team Staff Team Management Committee Members Service Users Clinical Supervisors And all others who have donated money or time to the ongoing running of OSARCC.
Our work would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of our volunteers. We cannot thank them enough for their continued support over the past year.
www.osarcc.org.uk Follow us on Facebook and Twitter:
@osarcc Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales No: 6835605.Registered Charity No: 1131054. Design and illustration: www.goodthinkingcommunications.net