Children and young people’s service

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.

Children and Young Person’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (CISVAs)

A CISVA is a special worker who can help you and provide support to you if you have experienced sexual abuse or sexual exploitation at any time in your life. ISVAs are separate from the police or children’s services, they work for RASASC and it is totally your choice if you would like to work with an ISVA. If the police have been informed, ISVAs can support you at each step.

Your ISVA will not tell you what to do, ISVAs will talk through your rights and options to help you make decisions.

At your first meeting with your ISVA we will explain all about our support, ask some questions and work together to see what your needs are and how we can help – we will create your own personalised support plan.

What does an ISVA do? What can they help me with?

• Listen to you, answer your questions and support you.
• Help you to access any sexual health or medical attention you may need.
• Support you to access to other services that may be able to help you, like counselling.
• Make sure your views, wishes and needs are understood and listened to by other organisations.
• Give information and support to your parents or carers, so that they can better support you.
• If you have not told the police what has happened, your ISVA can talk to you about your options, and offer support if you choose to report.
• If you have told the police about what happened, ISVAs can speak to the Police and other agencies to help make sure you are kept updated about your case.
• Support you with the outcome of the case and if your case goes to court, ISVAs can support you before, at court and afterwards.
• Give you information about other options you may have, such as criminal injuries compensation. If you are unhappy about something you may want to make a complaint to the police or CPS, ISVAs can help you with this.

You and your ISVA will agree how often you meet and contact each other. You can contact your ISVA on the phone, text, email, via webcam or in face-face sessions.

Click here for RASASC’s CISVA service agreement if you would like to know more about our CISVA service or contact us on 0330 363 0063

Counselling

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. Click here to visit our counselling webpage. 

Other sources of help for young people

Child Line (24hr emotional support line for people aged 19 years and under) 0800 11 11

VISYON – (Cheshire based Counselling Service for Young People, offering a broad range of support services) 0800 652 6293

You&Co (Victim Support’s youth programme offering information on your rights as a young victim and witness and also information about the court process)

www.kooth.com (Young person’s on-line counselling service – 11-25 year olds)

Brook (free and confidential sexual health services and advice for young people under 25)

Brook text and webchat with an advisor

Thinkuknow (Advice and information for Young people/carers and teachers around keeping safe on the internet)

Worried about a child?

Call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk