We have a specialist service for children and young people affected by rape and sexual abuse, where the voice and needs of the young person is at the heart of the support we provide.
Child sexual abuse is when a child or young person is forced or coerced into taking part in any kind of sexual activity with an adult or another young person. It can happen to anyone at any age – boys and girls.
If you are being sexually abused,
remember that it is not your fault
and there is help out there for you.
Our support options:
Young people who have been sexually abused can experience many overpowering emotions and sometimes these can be difficult to recognise and deal with. These feelings can include anger, rage, sadness, guilt, shame, confusion and many other emotions.
None of these are wrong, but they can affect your life in a way that seems difficult, if not impossible to escape. It can also affect your relationships with others which can make you feel lonely too!
Your counsellor will help you to explore these feelings within a safe and secure environment.
This can be achieved in many ways, your counsellor will help you find better ways of identifying and expressing your feelings and help you to come to terms with what has happened to you and enable you to move on with your life.
The model we use for the therapy is Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), and it is just as its name suggests:
– It is trauma-focused, to help people recover from trauma.
– It is used with children and young people.
– It is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which looks at how what we think and do affects how we feel.
We understand that some young people might not want their parent or carer to be so directly
involved in their therapy. If you are over 13 years-old, we will talk to you about this and will respect your wishes where we can.
Click HERE to see our young people counselling leaflet for more information.
Sometimes you might not know why you feel a certain way, and those feelings can get really big or stick around for a long time.
We help children aged 5 and over who have been through sexual harm. Our therapists also work with your parent or carer to help support you.
Your therapist will get to know you and is there to listen to you. Sometimes it might feel a bit scary to talk about your feelings or things that have happened, and that’s okay. We use lots of fun ways to help, like drawing, painting, or playing games.
The type of therapy we use is called Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or TF-CBT for short. Here’s what that means:
Trauma-focused – it helps you feel better after something scary or upsetting has happened.
Made for kids and young people – it is designed especially for you.
CBT part – it helps you see how your thoughts and actions can change how you feel, and teaches ways to feel happier and calmer.
Click HERE to see our children counselling leaflet for more information.
Children and Young People’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ChISVAs)
A ChISVA is a special worker who can help and support you if you have ever experienced sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. ChISVAs are not part of the police or children’s services—they work for RASASC.
It’s completely your choice if you want to work with a ChISVA. If the police know about what happened, your ChISVA can be there to support you at every step. Your ChISVA won’t tell you what to do. They will explain your rights and choices so you can make your own decisions.
Your ChISVA will explain all the ways they can help, ask you some questions, and work with you to see what you need. Together, you will make a plan just for you, showing how you will be supported.
Your ChISVA can give information and support to your parents or carers so they can help you better.
If you haven’t told the police what happened, your ChISVA can explain your options and help you if you decide to report it. If the police already know, your ChISVA can talk to them and other people involved to make sure you are kept updated about your case.
Your ChISVA can also support you with what happens in your case, including before, during, and after court if your case goes there.
Click HERE to see our ISVA leaflet if you would like to know more about our ISVA service or contact us on 0330 363 0063.
