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About Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support
Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS), formerly Bristol Rape Crisis, exists to
relieve distress and help rebuild the lives of survivors who live in Somerset, Bristol, South
Gloucestershire, North Somerset and BANES, who have experienced any form of sexual violence, at
any point in their lives.
SARSAS also campaigns and raises awareness about rape and sexual violence to enable survivor’s
voices to be heard. Partnership work with a range of agencies locally and nationally is a priority to
enable social change.
Our values
SARSAS is an outcomes-based organisation working to feminist principles: this underpins both what
our service is and how it is run. We listen to women and girls and believe them, help women to name
the sexual violence they have survived and support them to make their own choices. We currently
offer a limited service to men and boys on our helpline and work in partnership with other specialist
organisations for their welfare.
“Volunteering with SARSAS gave me so much
experience and lots of useful skills, which has led
me into my current career.”
Volunteer feedback 2013
“Speaking to you and reading the information you found for
me has helped me to realise I’m not to blame for what
happened to me.”
1-1 support service user 2013
“You listened and you got it.”
Helpline caller feedback 2014
Charity Registered in England No. 1126682 Company No 6738639
Sessional
counsellors (5)
SARSAS
organisational
chart May 2015
Freelance
Service
Manager
(1FTE)
Somerset
support
Hub
fundraiser
Freelance
Supervisor
s
Service Users
Potential
service users
Director
(1FTE)
Funders
Donors
Board
SARSAS
Campaign
Steering
group
Tax Payers
Rape Crisis
England &
Wales
Charities
Commission
Companies
House
BACP
Somerset volunteers (2))
Specialist Support Worker
North Somerset( 15 hours
Administrator
(22 hours)
Specialist Support Worker
Somerset (24 hours)
Specialist Support Worker Bristol
and BANES (37 hours)
Service
Manager
( 1FTE)
Bristol
Support
Hub
Service user
focus groups
Engagement and Support
Worker (22 hours)
Specialist Support Worker
for womend with Learning
Disabilities ( 1 FTE)
Service Delivery
Administrator (1FTE)
Sessional group workers
Patron
Sessional Solution Focused Therapist (8 hours)
Bristol
Sexual
Violence
Consortium
Steering
group
Training and
Information
Officer (1
FTE)
Volunteer Coordinator
(30 hours)
Finance Manager
(15 hours)
25 Volunteer Helpline
workers
10 Volunteer Support
Workers
Administrator for finance
and general (15 hours)
Charity Registered in England No. 1126682 Company No 6738639
SARSAS is a member of Rape Crisis (England and Wales) (RCEW) and is currently funded from a range
of sources including the Ministry of Justice. We adhere to Rape Crisis National Service Standards.
Services overview (including services under development):
o A one to one tailor made approach – a fully trained and experienced member of the team
offers emotional and practical support for up to 20 sessions, either over the phone or face-toface at the charity’s welcoming weekly hubs and spokes across the region
o Counselling – SARSAS offers specialist trauma counselling and group work.
o A free helpline – the free phone number connects to a listening ear, emotional support,
information and signposting to other relevant sources of help (including reporting to the
police). The anonymity afforded by the telephone eases survivors through the daunting first
steps of disclosure. A caller sums it up: “This service has been brilliant. You have lovely
women on the phone. It’s good just to be able to talk without being judged.”
o Email support – also makes the early stages of talking more bearable and provides an
accessible service for those with hearing and language barriers.
o Help for others – giving the support for the partners, family and friends of the survivors that is
crucial to the processes of coping and recovery, for everyone.
o Training and Campaigning – SARSAS is dedicating more time to campaigning to address myths
and provide credible information. We deliver training across the region on understanding
sexual violence, disclosure and pathways. SARSAS developed the survivor pathway website to
assist professionals and concerned others to find out more about specialist sexual violence
services: www.survivorpathway.org.uk
Case Study - The Call that Makes a Difference
Sometimes people are too frightened and traumatised to speak. One 60 year old
woman phoned SARSAS several times, but was too distressed to say anything. A
volunteer listened to her cry and reassured her until she was able to start speaking. She
is now in regular therapy.
Charity Registered in England No. 1126682 Company No 6738639
Last year we received over 3300 helpline calls and over 500 emails from survivors.
We have booked in 288 assessments, and arranged SARSAS 1-1 support and counselling services for 212
survivors.
We currently have over 100 people currently in support and approximately 100 more on our waiting list across
our area for all our services. We record our intervention outcomes on our database system
Patron
Laura Bates: Laura is the founder of the award-winning Everyday Sexism Project, an ever-increasing collection
of over 50,000 women’s experiences of gender imbalance. The stories come from women of all ages, races,
sexual orientations, and backgrounds. The project has expanded into 17 countries and has featured in media
from the New York Times to French Glamour, CNN to Grazia South Africa, Cosmopolitan to the Times of India.
Laura also writes for the Guardian, the Independent, Grazia, and Red Magazine, among others.
Confidential support for survivors of rape,
sexual violence and sexual abuse
Regardless of when a survivor discloses or when the abuse happened the trauma and consequences
of experiencing rape and sexual abuse are felt by all victims / survivors. SARSAS supports women and
girls who have experienced rape and sexual violence at any time in their lives including recent and
historic abuse and childhood abuse.
1 in 5 women report having experienced sexual assault and overwhelmingly women state the need to
have the choice of women-only support services. We also support men and boys on the helpline and
are in the process of developing our services further.
SARSAS services help survivors to cope and recover including:
 improve their personal safety,
 improve their health and wellbeing,
 make positive changes in their understanding of and placing of responsibility for rape/ sexual
violence
 have increased sense of self-worth
“I really needed someone to talk to
who understood, and who would let
me talk without judging me or telling
“She listened to me and believed me.
me what to do SARSAS provided this”.
Then she practically supported me in
the lead up to the trial and when it
was discontinued. I feel like I am
finally getting my life back and I can’t
SARSAS
thank SARSAS enough for everything
service users
they’ve done”
“I felt like carrying the hurt and pain was
slowly killing me. Having my face to face
and phone support had a big impact on
how I managed to stay strong and
believe in myself.”
“I am determined to move forward with my life to
new and better things and am glad to know other
women going through what I have are continuing
to receive the best support possible”
The impact of rape and sexual abuse crimes are devastating and can be life-long. Our confidential
services are specialist, professional, free and help survivors to cope and recover.
SARSAS
Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy Statement
Approved:
January 2013
Policy statement
SARSAS is committed to the principle that as an employer and a provider of charitable services, it
should provide equal opportunities to all members of the community (see Equal Opportunities Policy)
In particular, it is recognised that there is a responsibility not to discriminate unfairly against exoffenders who may have valuable experiences to draw on.
It is also recognised that some of the client group with whom SARSAS works may be vulnerable. Since
the primary concern must be the welfare of the people for whom our services are provided it would
therefore not be appropriate for SARSAS to accept potential volunteer support workers or staff
members with certain convictions. The following guidelines must be observed in relation to
recruitment and selection:
1. This policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is made available to all applicants at the outset of
the recruitment process.
2. We actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential
and we welcome applications for paid and voluntary roles from a wide range of candidates,
including those with criminal records. We select all candidates for interview based on their skills,
qualifications and experience. A Disclosure is only requested where one is both proportionate and
relevant to the position concerned. For those positions where a Disclosure is required, all
application forms and recruitment briefs will contain a statement that a Disclosure will be
requested in the event of the individual being offered the position.
3. Where a Disclosure is to form part of the recruitment process, we encourage all applicants to
provide details of their criminal record at an early stage in the application process. We request
that this information is sent under separate, confidential, cover to a designated person and we
guarantee that this information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the
recruitment process and will be returned should an offer of employment not be made.
4. In order to protect certain vulnerable groups within society, there are a number of posts and
professions that are exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In
line with the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and
Protection of Freedom Act 2012, SARSAS positions, due to previous status, continue to fall within
this category, and are therefore exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
by virtue of the
5. We ensure that all those in SARSAS who are involved in the recruitment process have either
access to someone who has or have themselves been suitably trained to identify and assess the
relevance and circumstances of offences and relevant legislation relating to the employment of
ex-offenders.
6. At interview, or in a separate discussion, we will ensure that an open and measured discussion
takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position.
Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to
withdrawal of an offer of employment. We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a
Disclosure with the person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of
employment.
7. We make every subject of a DBS (CRB) Disclosure aware of the existence of the DBS (CRB) Code of
Practice1 and make a copy available on request.
8. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar someone from working with us. This will
depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offences.
9. An individual with any previous conviction for any Schedule One offence must be brought to the
attention of the Management Committee. Such individuals are likely to be precluded from
working for or volunteering with SARSAS. Schedule one offences relate to violent offences against
another person and include sexual assaults on children, rape and various forms of neglect and ill
treatment including murder and manslaughter. ‘Schedule One Status’ offences also include
common offences such as common assault and assault causing bodily injury. The future of any
person in that situation may be affected in the following ways:
 A conviction for a violent crime against another person will permanently remain on their
record. This applies to all age groups.
 Violent crimes are treated differently to other crimes and unlike other offences which may be
wiped from your record after a period of time; these offences are given a ‘Schedule One Status’
which will remain with that person for life.
 A ‘Schedule One Status’ offence is a crime committed by one person against another person no
matter the age.
 A ‘Schedule One Status’ offence could preclude a potential volunteer from volunteering with
SARSAS.
10. An individual with a previous conviction for any other offence can normally only be recruited as a
volunteer provided that at least one year has elapsed since completion of any sentence, other
disposal, licence or supervision related to that offence. However, where the line manager has
reason to believe that earlier recruitment may be of benefit, a shorter time lapse may be agreed
after consultation with the Management Committee.
11. An individual with a previous conviction for a drug-related offence, violent offence, or sexual
offence is precluded from becoming a worker, in accordance with point 2 above, subject to prior
approval by the Management Committee (i.e. before accepting the worker onto any training the
line manager must consult the Management Committee, giving full details of offences disclosed).
12. SARSAS trustees and staff are reminded that in all cases they have discretion to reject potential
workers, based on their evaluation at first interview and during the training course. Where there
is any doubt as to how the individual’s previous offending will affect her suitability as a worker,
the individual should not be accepted at SARSAS. However it should be stressed that, with the
exception of points 9 above, no one should be rejected only on the basis of a previous conviction.
1
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/agencies-public-bodies/CRB/about-the-crb/crb-cop