Still no single sex Rape Crisis support in Brighton but…

[IamSarah]

Sisters Heal has launched - a not for profit org offering single sex women’s spaces.

Full disclosure I am helping Sisters Heal get the word out about their new therapeutic courses and retreats as they’re brand new (set up by survivors as there are so many of us in Brighton struggling without support) and not many women have heard of them.

Most of the activities are in Brighton or nearby but they will be running a lovely, supportive online women’s group starting in Jan next year exploring themes like self-criticism, boundaries, guilt and worthiness.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/sistershealcic/1940244

Everything offered is single sex ♀

Here is their website:

https://sistersheal.co.uk

Any help you can give them by commenting on this thread or sharing the info with women who need therapeutic support would really help.

I’m sorry I don’t have an update yet on what has happened with the promised women’s group at Survivors Network, but as soon as I do I will share on here.

I’ve been asking those questions and I know the funders are keen to get the group enforced.

It’s just so disheartening that it has to be enforced. It’s not going to help survivors knowing that the support they are receiving is being given so begrudgingly.

I’ve just heard that a couple of the women who have booked to come to Greece in April with Sisters Heal heard about the retreat on Mumsnet so I am posting the link to the retreat page as there will be another one in September.

Sounds like a lovely location. No traffic, no close neighbours and no men. How blissful!

https://sistersheal.co.uk/syros-retreat/

Just bumping this thread for any women feeling burnt out from managing the mental load of Christmas and who need some TLC in 2026.

Everything offered by Sisters Heal is single sex. There are informal walks, trauma-sensitive yoga classes, group psychotherapy and therapeutic retreats.

The organisers are always happy to answer questions via email or WhatsApp if out of office hours - contact details are on this page: https://sistersheal.co.uk/contact/

Please spread the word and let women know there is a single sex space for them.

This is an amazing project- thank you for all your efforts, Sarah!

Yes, but it does go against the grain a bit that @IamSarah is using MN for free advertising for a paid service which doesn’t really seem fair. Unless she’s agreed it with MNHQ of course.

I’d have thought for a good cause like this, MNHQ might be happy to offer an advertising discount if asked. Maybe a guest post?

I didn’t mean to break any rules 😳

it’s a not for profit org rather than a paid service. It’s funded by donations and all the directors are volunteers. I thought as it’s single sex then it would be ok to post on here. I’ve seen similar awareness raising threads about LWS, WPUK, FiLiA etc so I thought a Sisters Heal thread belonged here too.

Ok, maybe it is, I don’t really know.

I suppose it's too much to hope for that Survivors Network have pulled their finger out and actually set up the female only service they promised to?

Although Kitty has a broader point, but I didn’t see anything wrong with specifically posting about SH@IamSarah either especially as this is following up on a related outcome of your legal case with SN.

No female only service yet from Survivors Network. I’m waiting for an update and will share as soon as I know what has happened.

They have funding for the service, they have hundreds of women who need the service, they have signed a legal agreement to say they will run the service, they made a statement in July announcing they would run the service. But here we are 4 years and 3 months after I first requested the single sex group (yes I’m counting) and there is still no service.

I supppose they are hoping everyone will forget.

Its too late now, but if I can find it again, I think it is worth writing / emailing those who are funding this (was local police force) and ask them what has happened.

Why haven't they made sure the money they gave if being used for the purpose it was granted.

The new service will run as a 12-month pilot scheme, funded by the Office of Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgp558qkz0o

Think these are the right contact details
https://www.police.uk/pu/policing-in-the-uk/police-crime-commissioners/police-and-crime-commissioner-for-sussex-police/

Thanks @IwantToRetireyes it’s the Sussex PCC that are providing the funding. They have confirmed they will be extending it for another year which is great news, but also suggests SN may not manage to start the service within a year.

I’ve spoken to the PCC (who is lovely) as have lots of other women survivors. They are fully committed to funding the group and have been chasing SN. We can only speculate why SN are dragging their heels and not delivering the promised service.

SN appear to be kicking it into the long grass hoping everyone will forget. It doesn’t exactly restore the broken trust that needs restoring.

I’ve suggested the obvious - that the PCC give the funding to Sisters Heal who are set up and ready to run single sex groups, actually want to run single sex groups and would do it with sensitivity and compassion. Unfortunately SN are the official rape crisis centre for Sussex and the PCC have decided they should be the ones to run it.

Survivors are simply sick of waiting, and so many have had bad experiences at SN that they’ve created Sisters Heal.

Thank you for the support, as I explained earlier Sisters Heal relies on donations and is run by volunteers so word of mouth is so helpful. There isn’t the money for advertising or anything like that. Hopefully when it’s more established.

@IamSarah apologies if you’ve answered this but has the PCC handed the money over to SN or have they commissioned the service but not paid out the actual cash? If the latter, has the PCC made any mention of what the plans are if SN still aren’t delivering? I’m conscious that the elected role of PCC is being abolished and responsibility will transfer to LA or Combined Authority. I wouldn’t bet my mortgage on the LA committing to a single sex service if they take on the responsibility and any outstanding funds. Could you press for a backstop and re-commission date, say within the next 6 months?

@SigourneyHowardI believe the funding has been ring fenced but not actually handed over yet.

I’m wondering if anyone who knows about funding and commissioning would be willing to advise survivors on the steps we can take? I really don’t know how it all works. If so the Sisters Heal team are more than happy to take emails: [email protected]

Thank you for the support 🙏

Sending you many good wishes - this is excellent news for women! 😊

Unfortunately SN are the official rape crisis centre for Sussex and the PCC have decided they should be the ones to run it

I dont believe anybody, local authority or whatever can say that or attempt to make it a "fact" by manipulating funding.

I think funding agreements will vary depending on the funder and the purpose of the funding. ie running costs for the financial year 2026-27 would almost certainly mean even if there was an underspend the money could be carried forward. Also think that unless Survivor's Network formal says that they no longer feel able to provide the service they have been funded to supply it cant be used. Unless enough complain to the Police Commissioner. Is this something Brighton Sisters etc., could get a local campaign going?

I think in terms or advice who you should contact is Rape Crisis England and Wales. They would or should be the obvious group to advise you.
https://rapecrisis.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/

It maybe the Women's Resource Centre could advise you.
https://www.wrc.org.uk/

oops!

ie running costs for the financial year 2026-27 would almost certainly mean even if there was an underspend the money could be carried forward.

ie running costs for the financial year 2026-27 would almost certainly mean even if there was an underspend the money could NOT be carried forward.

I’ve still heard nothing directly from Survivors Network but they put out some social media posts today about listening to survivors, responding with care and reaching more people (not women) across Sussex.

Someone commented on Facebook asking politely when they would run the new women’s group but they appear to have hidden it.

If anyone feels minded to comment here is the Instagram post https://www.instagram.com/p/DTNSvCLkWcw/?img_index=2&igsh=MXJiaHl5Z2QxdHNkcQ==

Oh I should also point out that Sisters Heal has had absolutely no pushback from Brighton TRAs. Well apart from a brief mention on Terfwatch.

If a grassroots social enterprise can successfully run single sex spaces I don’t understand why the official rape crisis centre can’t 🤔

Thanks for the update.

Can you post the facebook link?

If a grassroots social enterprise can successfully run single sex spaces I don’t understand why the official rape crisis centre can’t

They can and some do.

The problem is 2 fold.

Funders who think because they have money they can tell progessionals how to do their job.

And TRAs who want the prestige of taking over a funded project as it is another way of "legitimising" their belief system.

Of course here you go - does this work? https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17nTVjUmQY/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Thanks yes.

Will add a comment and see if it disappears like yours.

Sonia Sodha has written about the lack of single sex rape crisis support and my case in the Times - archive link here: https://archive.is/XJC9C