The Consent Coalition are pleased to announce that its acclaimed booklet Your Journey – sexual violence a survivor’s guide to support and reporting has now been launched in Derbyshire!

About the guide

Launched in February 2020, Your Journey was written with input from survivors and the different agencies mentioned.  It gently looks at the decisions a person might make following an incident of sexual violence.  This includes sections on different support options, decisions, reporting to the police, and what an investigation and going to court might look like.

The booklet has received praise from across the UK with Max Hill QC, Director of Public Prosecutions calling it ‘excellent’ and urging survivors to ‘please read the guide.’  The guide has been widely distributed across Nottingham/shire by police and through ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advisors) passing it to survivors accessing support.

The Derbyshire Update

Our friends at the Derbyshire Office at the Police and Crime Commissioner contacted us about making a Derbyshire version after their own research with survivors highlighted common barriers to support.  They saw how Your Journey contained lots of vital information, including support services, myth-busting, choices around reporting and information about Sexual Abuse Referral Centres (SARCs).

We have been really pleased to work with our friends in Derbyshire to adapt the Your Journey guide to meet the needs of survivors there.  While containing the same vital information as the original guide, the support services have been updated, directing survivors to the right support for their area.

Access to the Guides

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire versions of the guides can be viewed, downloaded and printed directly from our website.  This makes them easy to find an access by all people, including survivors, their supporters and professionals.

You can also download Nottinghamshire versions of the guide translated into five different languages from the same page.

Celebration of the Derbyshire Guide

The Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts provided funding to make the Derbyshire update possible.  Speaking about the guide she said ‘Survivors of sexual abuse carry emotional scars for life, and it is vital professional help is accessed at the earliest opportunity to initiate the healing process.

‘The wellbeing and recovery of survivors of sexual violence and indeed all victims of crime is a priority for me. This new resource reassures survivors that they are not alone, and that help from compassionate and experienced practitioners is within reach. Importantly, it also walks them through the steps to accessing that help and how to report what they have experienced to police if it is their wish.’

Louise Graham, Consent Coalition Manager said ‘At the Consent Coalition, we understand the importance of giving sexual violence survivors the choice and control over their own journey. The ‘Your Journey’ booklet was designed to answer questions about support and reporting, providing reassurance to survivors that they are not alone and that we are here to help. The Consent Coalition is thrilled to work with our partners in Derbyshire to create a localised ‘Your Journey’ booklet. Survivors are at the heart of our work, and we champion the importance of supporting them everywhere.’

Want to get involved..?

The Your Journey guide is available to download in all versions from our website.  You can also email us to request a version for professional printing.

It would be great to get this resource in even more parts of the UK, so if you feel that a version for your area would be a useful resource, why not get in touch?

Don’t forget to visit our website for more information about our campaigns, the award winning Safe Space Pledge and how to become a supporter of the coalition.