A rape crisis centre, also known as a sexual assault crisis centre or sexual assault referral centre (SARC), is a specialised centre to support victims of rape or other sexual assault, both in the immediate aftermath of the assault and in the months and sometimes years following the attack. They are usually situated in a secure location and employ a multidisciplinary team of practitioners to provide medical, psychological, and practical support to the victim.
Rape crisis centres typically provide medical, practical, and emotional support to the victim in the aftermath of rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse. [1]
In Australia, there are a number of state- and territory-based rape crisis centres, such as Full Stop Australia (the first in Australia, founded as Sydney Rape Crisis Collective in 1971) [2] [a] in New South Wales; [3] Canberra Rape Crisis Centre in the Australian Capital Territory; [4] Yarrow Place in South Australia. [5] In Victoria, the Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic, formerly CASA Forum) [6] is the umbrella body for Centres Against Sexual Assault, or CASAs, located across the state. [7] In the Northern Territory, there are a number of Sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) which provide support, education, and advocacy. [8] There is only 24/7 access to medical, legal and counselling information at Darwin and Alice Springs SARCs. [8] In Western Australia there are five Sexual Assault Support Services in the regions, and a SARC in Perth. [9] Most of the state and territory services have a help line providing advice, and there is also a national 24/7 help line, 1800RESPECT. [10]
In Canada, the networks of rape crisis centres are provincially- and territorially-based, but there is a national body named the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (CASAC). [11] In Ontario, the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRC) is the umbrella body for centres in that province. [12] Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter is Canada's longest-running rape crisis centre. [13]
In Ireland, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, a national service, provides a range of services, including a 24-hour helpline, counselling services, accompanying victims to court, and outreach services, along with provision of training and advocacy work. [14]
In New Zealand (Māori : Aotearoa ), groups to support victims of rape and sexual abuse were set up during the 1970s, and in 1986 "Rape Crisis and Related Groups" (RCRG) were established. [15] These groups were run by trained volunteers, and provided immediate crisis support as well as ongoing counselling; judicial advocacy work; and help for victims in their dealings with police, doctors, Accident Compensation Corporation, and the Department of Social Welfare. [15] Over time, the number of support groups first grew, and then declined, largely through lack of funding and changing legislation. [15] RCRG was run as a collective, and was underpinned by a feminist philosophy, which clashed with neo-liberal ideologies which came to the fore in the 21st century. [15] By 2000 there were only 25 functioning rape crisis centres, and the national office in Wellington was closed. By 2018 there were only six such centres. [15]
As of 2023 [update] , the Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment Service (SAATS) is a national service providing medical assistance to sexual assault victims. [16] There are a number of not-for-profit centres focusing on different groups, such as Māori women, or male victims, some explicitly named rape crisis centre, such as Wellington Rape Crisis. There are local and national help lines. [17]
In South Africa, Thuthuzela Care Centres have become a model for best practice in care after sexual assault. [18] [19] [20] The name is derived from the Xhosa word thuthuzela, meaning "comfort". [21]
In the UK, sexual assault referral centres or SARCs exist across the country, funded and run by the National Health Service. Their staff comprise specifically-trained doctors, nurses, and other support staff. [1] The first SARC was established in 1986 at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, as St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre or SARC. [1] In the 1990s, there were two more SARCs established, REACH in Northumbria and STAR in West Yorkshire. [22]
A mixed methods study reviewed SARCs in the UK. It found that people were mostly positive about sexual assault referral centres and the voluntary sector (few interactions, 1% and 4% respectively, were experienced as harmful). Feedback was mixed about wider NHS services (including general practice and sexual health clinics, for example, but not SARCs) and the police and criminal justice service (15% and 25% of interactions, respectively, were experienced as harmful). People reported improvements in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 1 year after accessing SARCs. [23] [24]
There are also crisis centres run as charitable organisations, overseen by umbrella organisations Rape Crisis England & Wales and Rape Crisis Scotland. [25] They not only work to end sexual assault and abuse, but also provides specialist information and support to anyone who has been affected by any other form of sexual violence and abuse in England and Wales. They act as an umbrella organisation for 39 member rape crisis centres as of 2023 [update] . [26] The member organisations, such as Northamptonshire Rape Crisis, are typically independent charities staffed by a mix of paid staff and trained volunteers, and are run with the support of or collaboration with local councils, police forces, and corporate sponsors. [27] [28] Edinburgh Rape Crisis is one of Scotland's largest centres. However, as of April 2023 [update] rape crisis centres across the UK have had to close waiting lists owing to shortage of funds and staff. [25] Rape Crisis Northern Ireland, located in Belfast, covers Northern Ireland. [29]
The first American rape crisis centers (RCCs) were formed in several states throughout the country in the early 1970s, largely by women associated with the second-wave feminist movement. Central to second-wave feminism was the practice of consciousness raising, which allowed groups of women to speak openly about their experiences with sexual violence and the shortcomings of law enforcement, health care providers, and the criminal justice system to effectively and constructively respond to survivors.Among the first was the Washington D.C. Rape Crisis Center, founded in 1972 by women identifying with the radical branch of the women's movement. The D.C. RCC published a pamphlet entitled "How to Start a Rape Crisis Center", which provided a model for other early RCCs to follow. [30]
While the goals of RCCs have remained largely unchanged since their creation in the 1970s, they have undergone a number of structural changes. Among these changes is the phenomenon of RCCs moving toward more professionalisation and hierarchy and away from the radical activism that defines their roots. [31] Many RCCs, rather than being freestanding collectives, are incorporated into the mainstream organisations that they once worked against, such as hospitals or other social services agencies. These trends are related to the political climate and also the availability of government money to fund their activities. Despite the fact that RCCs now more closely resemble mainstream organisations, they still occupy an important place in the anti-rape movement. When dealing with rape survivors, the fact that RCCs have no interest other than in providing emotional support and assistance to survivors distinguishes them from physicians who are primarily concerned with treating injuries, law enforcement officers who are primarily concerned with ascertaining facts, or prosecutors who primarily concerned with building a case. RCCs are further separated from mainstream organisations by their consistent efforts to reform how these organisations respond to rape, primarily through the provision of training in appropriate rape definitions and responses. [32]
RCCs may receive funding from a number of sources and funding can vary greatly for each RCC depending on its location, if it is affiliated with a host agency, and the type of host agency. RCCs housed in hospitals and county social service and health agencies generally have more funding than those situated in mental health centres, battered women's shelters, and legal-justice organisations. [32]
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is an American nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization, the largest in the United States. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, as well as the Department of Defense Safe Helpline, and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice through victim services, public education, public policy, and consulting services.
Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence that includes child sexual abuse, groping, rape, drug facilitated sexual assault, and the torture of the person in a sexual manner.
Some victims of rape or other sexual violence incidents are male. Historically, rape was thought to be, and defined as, a crime committed solely against females. This belief is still held in some parts of the world, but rape of males is now commonly criminalized and has been subject to more discussion than in the past.
Sexual violence is any harmful or unwanted sexual act—or attempt to obtain a sexual act through violence or coercion—or an act directed against a person's sexuality without their consent, by any individual regardless of their relationship to the victim. This includes forced engagement in sexual acts, attempted or completed, and may be physical, psychological, or verbal. It occurs in times of peace and armed conflict situations, is widespread, and is considered to be one of the most traumatic, pervasive, and most common human rights violations.
Rape is a traumatic experience that affects the victim (survivor) in a physical, psychological, and sociological way. Even though the effects and aftermath of rape differ among victims, individuals tend to suffer from similar issues found within these three categories. Long-term reactions may involve the development of coping mechanisms that will either benefit the victim, such as social support, or inhibit their recovery. Seeking support and professional resources may assist the victim in numerous ways.
Rape crisis centers in the United States, usually capitalized as Rape Crisis Center and often abbreviated as RCC, are community-based organizations affiliated with the anti-rape movement in the U.S. Rape crisis centers in other countries offer similar services, but have different histories and vary in their organizational structure.
Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) deals with sexual violence within the context of domestic violence. Intimate partner sexual violence is defined by any unwanted sexual contact or activity by an intimate partner in order to control an individual through fear, threats, or violence. Women are the primary victims of this type of violence.
As sexual violence affects all parts of society, the responses that arise to combat it are comprehensive, taking place on the individual, administrative, legal, and social levels.
The Survivors Trust is a national umbrella agency for over 125 specialist voluntary sector agencies throughout the UK and Ireland providing a range of counselling, therapeutic and support services working with women, men and children who are victims/survivors of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse. The organisation aims to offer a national collective voice to support and empower survivor groups, to educate and inform acknowledgment of and response to sexual abuse on a local and national level.
The Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASAs) are non-profit, government-funded rape crisis centres in Victoria, Australia. Sexual Assault Services Victoria is the umbrella body for CASAs.
The anti-rape movement is a sociopolitical movement which is part of the movement seeking to combat violence against and the abuse of women.
The rate of sexual violence in South Africa is among the highest recorded in the world. Police statistics of reported rapes as a per capita figure has been dropping in recent years, although the reasons for the drop has not been analysed and it is not known how many rapes go unreported. More women are attacked than men, and children have also been targeted, partly owing to a myth that having sex with a virgin will cure a man of HIV/AIDS. Rape victims are at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS owing to the high prevalence of the disease in South Africa. "Corrective rape" is also perpetrated against LGBT men and women.
Rape Crisis England and Wales is the national umbrella organisation for non-profit rape crisis centres across England and Wales. As a registered charity, Rape Crisis also works to raise awareness of sexual violence and campaign for change. The rape crisis centres it represents are distinct from sexual assault referral centres, or SARCs, which are run by the NHS.
Nicole Westmarland is a British academic and activist in the area of violence against women. She is currently a professor at the University of Durham, where she researches rape, domestic violence and prostitution. With Geetanjali Gangoli, she has edited two books: International Approaches to Rape, and International Approaches to Prostitution: Law and Policy in Europe and Asia. Originally a taxi driver, Westmarland’s first publication focused upon security issues for female taxi drivers, following her finding that female drivers were significantly more likely to face sexual harassment from customers than their male counterparts.
Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter is Canada's longest running rape crisis center. The shelter, located in Vancouver, British Columbia, was established in 1973 and has operated a feminist transition house since 1983, offering women shelter from men who are abusing them, including fathers, husbands, sons, pimps, johns and landlords. A member of the Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (CASAC), it is an independent, non-governmental group with no connection to the criminal justice system.
After a sexual assault or rape, victims are often subjected to scrutiny and, in some cases, mistreatment. Victims undergo medical examinations and are interviewed by police. If there is a criminal trial, victims suffer a loss of privacy, and their credibility may be challenged. Victims may also become the target of slut-shaming, abuse, social stigmatization, sexual slurs and cyberbullying. These factors, contributing to a rape culture, are among some of the reasons that may contribute up to 80% of all rapes going unreported in the U.S, according to a 2016 study done by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sexual assault of LGBT people, also known as sexual and gender minorities (SGM), is a form of violence that occurs within the LGBT community. While sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence can occur in all forms of relationships, it is found that sexual minorities experience it at rates that are equal to or higher than their heterosexual counterparts. There is a lack of research on this specific problem for the LGBT population as a whole, but there does exist a substantial amount of research on college LGBT students who have experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Jill Astbury is an Australian researcher in the field of women's mental health.
Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) is a charity which provides a national rape crisis helpline and email support for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. There are 17 independent local centres in Scotland that are members of RCS.
Beira's Place is a Scotland-based private support service for female victims of sexual violence. Founded in 2022 by J. K. Rowling, the organisation describes itself as a "women-only service", and does not hire or provide services to transgender women.
The first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), St Mary's in Manchester, was established in the UK in 1986, to address serious shortcomings in the medico-legal response to recent rape. Two further SARCs were established in the 1990s, REACH in Northumbria and STAR in West Yorkshire.
