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HRH Duchess of Cornwall Camilla visits Guildford Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre
Her Royal Highness visited the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) in Guildford for an hour on Thursday 13th February to celebrate the Centre supporting survivors for over 21 years.
70 volunteers and 7 part-time staff at the centre offer a range of services such as helplines, individual counselling, family support counselling, group counselling and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors.
The Duchess met the staff and a number of and the trustees were able to highlight funding issues that continually face the organisation. Camilla also met with Anne Milton MP and RASASC Patron, the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey Dame Sarah Goad and the Mayor of Guildford Diana Lockyer-Nibbs.
The Duchess also had a private meeting with a female survivor in her fifties. She spoke of her childhood experiences and the emotional and mental health problems that it caused her as she progressed through her teenage years and into womanhood. Without the help of counselling she felt that she would never have recovered. Having not discussed this with anyone for over 20 years, it was a huge emotional step for her to speak to the Duchess. Camilla said she was grateful that she survivor was brave enough to speak to her.
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre also work with the South East Service Ambulance service to improve their service for victims and the Duchess was very impressed by the improvements that have been made for survivors by RASASC.
Camilla was given a demonstration of an “Ambu Wrap kit” that is now used in all the ambulances. Originally, all male ambulance crews may have been sent to deal with a female victim. Now the service will always try and send a female crew or a partial female crew. Also, the victim would have been asked to remove their clothing as evidence and be offered a paper suit to wear, which just increased their trauma. The outcome of this joint working was the development of a special blanket/wrap to cover the victim and their clothing. This wrap has a special internal fabric that traps DNA and fluid evidence. The wrap provides the victim with security and preserves their modesty. In addition the kit contains special stretcher covers that also trap DNA. This means the ambulance can go straight back out on the road, rather than being taken out of action as a scene of crime until the stretchers can be swabbed.
“We were delighted that the Duchess Camilla visited our Centre" said Head of Fundraising and Communications Sonja Freebody.
"We have known that she has an interest in supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse and has previously started a special wash-bag scheme. Everyone at RASASC was grateful that she had time to spend with us to widen her knowledge and understanding of the issues that rape survivors face and how it impacts on families, jobs and well-being. The visit was a great success and the volunteers really enjoyed it.”
Rape and sexual abuse helplines are available on national freephone 0800 0288 022 or local 01483 546400. Information and helpsheets at rasasc-guildford.org
Donations, awareness displays and talks can be arranged by contacting Sonja Freebody on 01483 452900 or sonja@rasasc-guildford.org
