Therapeutic Services for Victims of Sexual Assault

The Commissioner is working with funding partners Cumbria NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS England, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Constabulary and local District Councils, amongst other agencies, to develop the support available for people who have been affected by crime and abuse. The overarching objectives of this work are to help keep people safe, prevent victimisation, and enable them to cope with the immediate impact of a crime or abuse and to recover from the longer-term legacy of the experience. The Service being commissioned here encompasses countywide trauma-informed, evidence-based therapeutic services for People who have been Experienced Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse, including pre-trial therapy, provided within a specialist environment which is sensitive to the whole impact of the trauma of that assault or abuse. This will include triage of referrals, mental health needs assessment and close working with other providers of mental health services to ensure timely and smooth access to the most appropriate service to meet their needs. The Service will operate as part of the package of support offered by The Bridgeway Sexual Assault Support Service.