The Bridge is a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) offering medical care, emotional and psychological support, and practical help to anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted – no matter when or where it happened. Their specialist team will be there for you if you are:
• An adult or child, living in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset or Somerset.
• A child, living in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire or Swindon.
The Bridge can help you by giving you space to talk about what happened to you and discussing your options. They will offer medical care, a forensic medical examination and sexual health care as well as emotional and psychological support, arranging counselling should you want it. They can also give you information and support about making a report to the police.
The Bridge also offer information and support to friends and family if someone you care about has been affected by rape or serious sexual assault.
When you’re ready to get in touch, you can contact The Bridge at any time for free, confidential advice, 24/7, 365 days a year.
Somerset Phoenix is a small service provided by Barnardo’s and Somerset & Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS). They offer support, training, consultation, and signposting to professionals supporting children, young people and families affected by child sexual abuse (CSA).
Whether you’re looking for resources or information or want support, visit the Somerset Phoenix Project website or get in contact using the details below.
Somerset Phoenix are are not a referral service or a crisis service. If you need crisis intervention, the group has a list of contacts for you to get in touch with.
Barnardo’s are offering support to men who want help around anger management and are concerned about violence and abuse within their intimate relationships. The group is ideal for men who want to improve their current or future relationships. Many men come to the group because they also want to improve their relationships and support for their children and the Reprovide programme has a strong focus on this.
Our FREE groups run weekly on Wednesday evenings in Taunton and Thursday evening near Shepton Mallet.
Those who have completed the programme report that the support group was friendly and gave them a safe and confidential space to talk about many difficult issues. For many men the group helps them to build and sustain positive relationships and to improve their mental health.
There is no requirement to fill in any referral forms.
Hourglass works across the UK supporting victims of abuse, those concerned about an older person, families, carers and practitioners.
The Hourglass mission is simple: end the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people in the UK.
Hourglass have nearly 30 years’ experience and over that time their work has touched tens of thousands of people, it’s shaped government policy and amplified the issue in national press. That’s why Hourglass is so vital.
As the UK’s only charity focused on the abuse and neglect of older people, Hourglass staff a free-to-call helpline.
It’s an absolute lifeline for older men, women and their families suffering from the five forms of abuse: physical, psychological, financial, sexual or neglect.
SARSAS is a specialist support service for people in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, who have experienced any form of rape, sexual assault or abuse, at any time in their lives.
SARSAS offer a confidential helpline and live chat service, confidential e-support, 1:1 specialist support, counselling, group work. They also offer training, advice and consultation to professionals.
The SARSAS helpline runs 5 days a week and is available to people of all genders. SARSAS accept self-referrals through their helpline and from professionals on behalf of people they are supporting. Please note referrals will only be accepted where the person being referred has consented to be referred to SARSAS.
Professionals need to make referrals via the downloadable referral form on the website.
Helpline: 0808 801 0456
Mondays & Fridays from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Live chat via SARSAS’ website:
Tuesday: 12noon – 2pm & 6pm – 8pm
Wednesday: 6pm – 8pm
Thursday: 12noon – 2pm
The ManKind Initiative is a national charity (registered in 2001) providing an information, support and signposting service to male victims of domestic abuse and their families.
The helpline is manned by trained people who give information and support on all aspects of domestic abuse. They signpost people to refuges, local authorities and other support services where appropriate.
The helpline is available Monday to Friday from 10am – 4pm.
Somerset Partnership have put together self help guides on a number of topics including domestic violence.
Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Service is Somerset’s main specialist service which provides support to men, women and children who are affected by domestic abuse.
They provide:
If you would like more information, please phone the Somerset Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 6949 999 or email SIDAS@Somerset.gov.uk.
Mandala Therapy are a team of qualified and experienced creative arts and play therapists dedicated to providing meaningful support for children who have experienced trauma in early life.
Working closely with parents, carers and key professionals, they provide gentle, nurturing therapeutic support to help children recover from trauma they have experienced and promote a better understanding of their needs.
They specialize in supporting children and families affected by; domestic abuse, parental mental health, bereavement, neglect, sexual abuse and supporting adoption placements and offer a range of services tailored to fit specific needs with a high level of in-service clinical supervision and professional development.
Paladin NSAS is a trauma-informed service established in 2013, to assist high risk victims of stalking in England and Wales. Their unique trained team of accredited Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers (ISACs) ensure that high risk victims of stalking are supported and that a coordinated community response is developed locally to keep victims and their children safe.
Stalking is a pattern of repeated and persistent unwanted behaviour that is intrusive and engenders fear; when one person becomes fixated or obsessed with another and the attention is unwanted. Threats may not be made but victims may still feel scared. Importantly, threats are not required for the criminal offence of stalking to be prosecuted.
For more information, or to find out how Paladin can support you, visit their website or get in touch using the details below.
The Green House supports children and young people aged 0-18 who have experienced sexual abuse, and their families. This support includes professional consultation (indirect work with the professional network around the family), nature-based therapy groups, short- and long-term therapy and online support.
For those on our waiting list, we can offer self-guided resources, parent groups and family connection days. Our services are free of charge, transport costs not included. We can only work with families based in Bristol, Bath, North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
