Swindon and Wiltshire Sexual Violence Therapeutic Service

Contact details:

Phone: 01793 317482

Sexual Violence Therapeutic Service:

Our Sexual Violence Therapeutic Service provides tailored trauma-informed and victim-centred therapeutic support for victims and survivors of sexual violence, regardless of when the abuse occurred or whether it was reported to the Police.

Support will be available to anyone aged 5 and over, living in Wiltshire and Swindon. Where children under five have been the victim, support will be provided to parents and carers.

Our service is distinct from the SARC and the ISVA Service and is focused on supporting victims and survivors to manage their trauma symptoms and move forwards in their recovery journey. Our service offers a range of therapeutic interventions, including:

Counselling
Psychoeducational support
Group support
Peer support through befriending

Person centred support in Swindon and Wiltshire

One-to-one counselling:

Adults counselling:

Counselling offers a private, confidential space to process experiences of sexual violence, whether recent or in the past. It helps survivors understand and manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, providing coping strategies and support for healing.

Survivors can find it difficult to speak about their experiences. They may be scared, nervous about whether they’ll be heard or judged. Counselling provides a safe, non-judgmental environment to explore feelings, rebuild identity, and move beyond victimhood at your own speed and in your own way. Sessions are tailored to individual needs and can be in-person, virtual, or by phone.

While counselling may be challenging at times, it is a powerful and affirming step toward healing. Most support last 10–12 weeks, but this can vary based on personal needs. Survivors are never forced to discuss anything before they are ready, and progress is reviewed regularly to ensure the support remains effective.

CYP Counselling:

Children and young people (aged 5 and above) will have a safe and consistent space to talk through and overcome their experiences. The sessions will be child-centred, age appropriate and focused on the needs of the CYP.

EMDR

You may be offered Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) as part of your therapy. EMDR uses eye movements to reduce the emotional distress linked to traumatic memories. They can then be properly processed by the brain instead of overwhelming or taking over.

It is considered the gold standard for treating PTSD and can help reframe painful memories, lessen emotional triggers and reduce symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety. By allowing the brain to reprocess trauma in a safe environment, EMDR supports healing, empowerment, and a greater sense of control over thoughts and emotions.

For more information follow these links:

How EMDR works? Look at this animation (English)

"Your Behaviour Won't Be The Same" | Dr. Andrew Huberman (Stanford Neuroscientist)

Andrew Huberman Explains the Benefits of Lateral Eye Movements - YouTube

One-to-one therapeutic psychoeducational support:

Support will be available to both adults and children / young people from one of our Sexual Violence Therapeutic Advisors (SVTA). Our SVTAs will provide tailored therapeutic support, distinct from counselling. Psychoeducational in nature, the support will primarily focus on safety and stabilisation, helping clients to move forward in their recovery journey.

Group support:

Survivors can access a range of group based supports, which are focused on:

Developing peer relationships
Understanding trauma
Managing trauma symptoms
Providing a safe space to talk and come together
Self-care and why it is important
Offering creative and practical interventions

These groups aim to reduce isolation and create a positive and inclusive space for people with shared experience.