Info for Research
Myths and Facts
Please see information on the Rape Crisis England and Wales website.
Data/Statistics
Our Research. Please note that the following research was carried out whilst Savana was still a women-only organisation, hence the references to women.
CORE pilot study
At the beginning of July 2006, we introduced a 6 month pilot study using CORE which we hoped would show the ways in which our clients feel they have changed as a result of counselling. This is very valuable information for our service. The study was so successful that we have continued to use CORE.
CORE (clinical outcomes in routine evaluation) is a monitoring system which records on a form how a client is feeling about different aspects of her life
- Wellbeing
- Problems
- Functioning
- Risk
We ask clients to complete the form anonymously at their first appointment (Reception Interview) and ask counsellors to administer the form again after 8 counselling sessions, and again after every subsequent 12 sessions.
Completed forms are held securely and are anonymous.
Clients may choose not to take part in the study or to drop out of the study at any time.
Development Project - Evaluation (Funded by the Community Fund 1999 - 2002)
Background
Savana is a local charity initially run by women for women who have experienced sexual violence, whether recently or in the past. This changed in September 2009 when we began to offer services to male survivors and also took on our first male counsellors. The charity was established in 1986. The service offers free, confidential counselling, support and information to people who have experienced one or more incidents of sexual abuse and are living in the North Staffordshire area. Each year we support over 200 people with regular counselling sessions and offer telephone support to many more. In addition we will provide families and friends with information and support.
As part of our work we also raise awareness to the issues and impact of sexual violence and offer training and information to voluntary and statutory sector organisations. We work with appropriate partnerships such as Domestic Violence Forum and Community Safety Partnership Group, to further the aims of our organisation.
Monitoring is an important part of our work and in reviewing our statistics we recognised that certain groups of women were not accessing our service. A successful bid was made to the Community Fund for a Development Project.
The aim of the Project was to review the possible barriers some women face in accessing our service. The three groups we focussed on were:
- Women from black and minority ethnic communities
- Women with disabilities
- Older women
At the end of the project we hoped that we would have:
- Increased accessibility of the service
- Improved recruitment and appropriate training of volunteers
- Developed appropriate training packages for other organisations
- Gained a wider recognition of the organisation's work
Year One - The workers began to introduce themselves to agencies working with the identified groups of women. Almost immediately barrier number one appeared - agencies can be very protective of their client group and some actively dismissed the need for our service for their client group.
Year Two & Three - Networking, meetings and talks to groups continued. Personal Safety Awareness and the Training packages for other organisations were developed. Awareness training around the identified issues offered to staff and volunteers. Identifying ways to take the work forward.
FINDINGS
Accessibility of the service
Very early into the Project it was realised that the name ‘Rape Crisis' was felt to be a barrier to women accessing our service. Women thought that we only worked with recent rape. An important part of the Project was to ensure women were aware that the service worked with women who had experienced any form of sexual violence whether recently or in the past. After lengthy discussion with everyone involved with the service it was agreed at the 2002 AGM that the name be changed.
Action: Name changed to: Women's Rape & Sexual Violence Service.
Our centre is wheelchair accessible, yet very few women with access difficulties use the service. In consultation with Disability Solutions we realised that the simple step of displaying the disability symbol would show that our premises are accessible to disabled women.
Action: Our leaflets have been redesigned with the new name and the disability symbol.
Fear, lack of information about services available, and concerns about confidentiality raised the importance of networking. For women with disabilities there is often a lack of appropriate information and many disabled women are ‘protected by their carers or agencies working with them. For older women there was a sense that they did not need our service. Someone going to meet with agency workers, talk with teams, attend fora and meet with groups of women has meant that we have had a much higher profile. Information has been provided to a much wider section of the community. Personal contact with groups has given individuals and agency workers the confidence to refer to our service.
Action: Proposal for outreach post
Recruitment and appropriate training of volunteers
Meeting with staff at other Rape Crisis centres we were told that recruiting black women as counsellors does not necessarily mean that we will have black women accessing our service. This was endorsed by the women we talked to locally. Some women stated that they preferred to see a white counsellor because of a fear that a woman from their own culture would not maintain confidentiality.
We did recruit an Asian woman as a counsellor who could speak several languages but because of work commitments has unfortunately had to leave our service.
Similarly recruitment of volunteers with disabilities has been difficult. However, the project has given us an opportunity to review our recruitment process and make some changes.
Action: Ongoing training for staff and counsellors on the issues of Cultural Awareness, Working with Older Women and Disability Awareness.
Recruitment policies updated to widen the search for volunteer counsellors
Develop appropriate training packages for other organisations
Very early on in the project it became clear that accessing groups with a talk on ‘Rape Crisis' was very daunting and some women were uncomfortable with the idea. Through talking to groups it was decided to start with a talk on ‘Personal Safety Awareness. These talks were positively received in the community and as a result some disclosures were made by the women. Referrals to our service came from the groups who had heard the talk.
Alongside the Personal Safety Talks workers were indicating that they did not feel confident in responding to someone who disclosed sexual violence. A training package has been developed ‘Sexual Violence : A response to disclosure' Stage I and II. We have had very positive feedback from the CAB Training Project and other groups who have attended the training.
Action: Funding proposal for a Training Project to continue and develop training packages internally and externally
Gain a wider recognition of the organisation's work
Throughout the project we have been working with different groups and organisations working in the North Staffordshire area. The formal and informal networking has meant that some excellent contacts were made and the profile of the Service was raised. People have become more aware of what we offer and the professionalism of the service. Being seen and becoming known in the community also gave a ‘face' to our organisation and women (workers and potential clients) have begun to trust and feel more confident about the service. The evaluation undertaken by Staffordshire University added weight to what we were finding ourselves.
Action: Continue to network and maintain contacts with groups working in the area.
Raise profile working with the media, local voluntary sector projects and through work with statutory organisations where appropriate.
The Future
This has been a tremendous opportunity for us to reflect on our service provision and talk with a wide variety of groups about their perceptions of our service.
We have already identified various actions to ensure the continuation of the work covered in the past three years. The need to continue to break down the myths and barriers surrounding rape and sexual abuse will be an important part of our work for some time to come.
- There is scope to raise awareness with young people through talks in schools, colleges and universities in the area.
- The use of the ‘Personal Safety Awareness Talks' to open up discussion about women's fears around personal safety and the issues of sexual violence provides opportunities to work with groups of women not accessed in the past.
- Partnership work with the Domestic Violence Project to ensure women who have experienced domestic violence have access to counselling services when they are ready.
- We need to be more proactive in contacts with the media to raise awareness to the issues and the services available for people who have experienced sexual violence.
- Volunteers and staff come and go so it is important not to be complacent and ensure that there is an ongoing programme of workshops to raise awareness of the differences and difficulties for some groups of people.
There have been difficulties and good times throughout the project. The people we have met and worked with have always amazed us with their knowledge, their insights and their strength. The meeting with the Director of the Islamabad Women's Welfare Association left us in awe of the work women undertake in the most difficult circumstances. We are determined to remain in contact to inspire our own work and offer them support whenever we can. Similarly the strength of feelings amongst people with all sorts of disabilities reminded us that each individual knows what is best for them - the bit we have to do is make sure everyone who wants it has access to information and appropriate services.
A homeopathic approach: A pilot project introducing homeopathic treatment to staff within Savana.
Introduction
In July 2004 at our AGM, Lesley Foulkes, homeopath, gave a talk on the holistic approach to health. This subject created much interest and debate. Following this discussions took place between Louise, Jakki and Lesley about the possibility of piloting the introduction of homeopathy to the service. Offering any new service in a professional manner involves people understanding what that new service is. Therefore, we felt that it was important that staff understood what a homeopathic relationship and homeopathic treatment were like.
It was decided that a six-month pilot project would begin in October 2004 offering homeopathic treatment to staff in the first instance. As an integral part of the project evaluation was built into the design. This involved
- An initial questionnaire to be completed before the project started;
- During the first two months participants kept a diary to record their symptoms, well being and energy changes; and
- A final questionnaire.
The design of the pilot project.
An invitation went out to staff at Savana along with information about homeopathy, confidentiality, appointments, evaluation and how to take part. Each person was offered up to six appointments with a registered homeopath over the course of six months. The only cost involved for participants was that of the homeopathic medicines prescribed. Four members of staff decided to accept and began the project by completing the initial questionnaire. This included a question covering their expectations of homeopathy and of the project. None of the participants had had homeopathic treatment before. Three participants stayed with the project: one participant withdrew after the second month having difficulty in taking homeopathic tablets.
All participants completed diaries for a minimum of two months recording the changes they noticed in their symptoms, energy, and well being with any additional comments. There was ongoing assessment in terms of the in-depth consultation between the homeopath and each participant at approximately monthly intervals (although telephone contact was available in- between sessions). At the end of the project a final questionnaire was completed by the participants inviting comments on both the project and the experience of receiving homeopathic treatment
In the fourth month continuity of care after the project would end was addressed through discussion with each participant. The discsussion focused on their progress and whether they felt they needed anything further. One participant had only needed five appointments to achieve her required level of health, the final appointment was `banked` i.e. if she needed this at a later date it would be available. The second participant received the full six appointments and considered that she had a good level of health and was able to continue without any further treatment at present. The final participant completed her six months and decided to continue homeopathic contact through supervision.
Qualitative results from the evaluation.
Of the three staff who completed the project all agreed that there had been positive change attributed to receiving homeopathic treatment.
" I feel much better in myself and much healthier. I also feel more relaxed and less stressed out". PC3
"I feel I have more confidence". PC2
"I feel really well" PC1
The specific symptoms and issues that had been identified individually by each person for homeopathic treatment were reported as being improved by all three participants.
Changes in expectations were identified from before treatment to after.
"When I first started treatment I was not very positive about homeopathy because I thought nothing could help me. After receiving treatment I now feel very positive...I found it very beneficial, I now feel much more in control of my own health" PC3
Descriptive statistics.
The diaries that were completed for the first two months of treatment recorded up to three symptoms (chosen individually by each patient), well being and energy. The scoring system used to record this information on a daily basis was taken from a validated outcome assessment tool. Where the diary was continued for longer than two months a more complete picture of change was demonstrated.
Energy Levels
This graph shows all three participants energy levels scored on a daily basis where 5 is the best it can be.
Well Being
The well being graph shows all three participant data sets together, where 5 is the best it can be. Although the graphs describe through numerical scoring some of the data, to obtain a more rounded evaluation of the project data from all evaluation methods need to be considered.
The diaries were completed at the beginning of the project so can reflect only initial changes and may have provided richer data had they been continued for longer. If we also consider changes in expectation over the course of six months and final comments on change, ongoing daily evaluation may have given a more complete picture of change. Homeopathy is a complex form of treatment so poses particular evaluation issues such as the most sensitive way to capture the changes. Any future project would need to reflect this in the design of the evaluation strategy.
Conclusion
This pilot project only had three participants and was far too small to draw any conclusions other than general observations. All three participants reported positive outcomes to receiving treatment and change was reported on mental and emotional as well as physical levels. However, it does provide a record of the initial experience of bringing a holistic therapy into WRSVS and as a pilot informs future possible projects in this area.
Chief Officer
Working for an agency supporting women who have experienced sexual violence takes a toll on all working in the organisation whether directly involved with the service provision or not. Counselling staff have formal supervision support to ensure their work is ethical, they are working to good practice and are looking after their own well-being. Non-counselling staff have not had this provision and, although not working directly with the client group, can be affected by the issues. All staff members have expressed concerns from time to time about how the work here impacts on them
This pilot project has enabled us to see the benefits of supporting non-counselling staff. Since accessing homeopathy staff seem more positive and have more energy. Offering choice is clearly important so that staff can access support they are comfortable with and that benefits their general health and well-being. Savana has a responsibility for the health and safety of everyone involved with the organisation and homeopathy offers a proven means of support.
Recommendations:
Staff:
Work related supervision/support to be offered for all staff subject to availability of funding. Staff will have some choice about what that support may be e.g. hoemopath, supervision, mentor, other alternative therapy.
The procedure will be through consultation with the Line Manager who will take the proposal to the Chief Officer for authorisation.
The support will be reviewed 6 monthly by the Line Manager who will report back to the Chief Officer.
If a member of staff wishes to contribute to the cost, Savana will part fund.
Volunteers/clients:
‘In principle' decision needed from Board to rolling out this provision to volunteers and staff. Lesley and Jakki to discuss further.
Campaigns
To follow