It Happens Here Safe Spaces Project: A Peer-Led Community Healing Project for Survivors of Sexual Violence 🌼
About the initiative:
The It Happens Here Safe Spaces initiative will be a peer-led community healing project that will provide survivors with the space to connect with one another and find community. It will take the form of weekly informal wellbeing events - termed “Safe Spaces” - led by the It Happens Here committee as well as survivors and allies who have signed up to lead sessions: these spaces will be designed to build community and enable survivors to connect with one another at their own pace and in whichever form they seek.

What will these safe spaces look like?
They can be wellbeing activities (like a Yoga Session, Crafts Session, etc), just general hangout sessions (a picnic in the meadow or a work/productivity session), or more sensitive sessions like the Survivor Discussion Groups IHH has run in the past. After signing up, you will receive a calendar with all events scheduled for Trinity. You can also choose to participate in as many or as few group activities as you'd like! The purpose of this project is to support (not overwhelm) you, so all levels of involvement are welcome and valid 🌸

Who is running the sessions?
Survivors and allies who have signed up to lead the safe spaces and who have received training in signposting people to the most appropriate and effective resources and services, the impact of sexual violence, and trauma-informed listening skills from the Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC) and the University's Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service.

Who can attend theses sessions?
Anyone who identifies as a survivor is welcome 💕✨ Participation in some survivor/ally-led sessions or activities may be limited to a specific community, but this will be made clear in the event description.

What is the deadline for signing up?
Sign-ups to join the community and attend sessions will be open throughout the year.

Schedule & structure (Trinity Term 2022):
The scheme will run as weekly informal group wellbeing activities run by both IHH Committee as well as survivors and allies who have signed up to lead sessions. Please note that the group activities are tentative and are subject to change depending on group interest.
Week 1: movie night 🎥
Week 2: survivor/ally-led group activity / safe space
Week 3: yoga session 🧘
Week 4: survivor/ally-led group activity / safe space
Week 5: creative group activity (art/poetry/writing workshop) ✍️
Week 6: survivor/ally-led group activity / safe space
Week 7: crocheting and cupcakes 🧁
Week 8: survivor/ally-led group activity / safe space

The information shared here will be accessible only to the It Happens Here campaign committee. If you have any questions or concerns you would like to flag, please feel free to reach out to the campaign's Welfare Officer at mneera.saud@keble.ox.ac.uk.
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Signposting
The resource guide on the It Happens Here website (https://www.ithappenshere.co.uk/need-support) lists legal, administrative, and emotional support available in college, at the University, in Oxford, and the UK. You can find some of these resources listed below:

Local counselling:
1) OSARCC Counselling (free but unfortunately oversubscribed so wait can take a few months, definitely still reach out to get on the waiting list though; women only)
2) Oxford Uni Counselling Service (waiting times are not as long as OSARCC's, but a limited number of free sessions)
              3) You can also find private therapists in Oxford through the BACP website:  https://tinyurl.com/ymftu6wz

Local - emotional and practical:
1) OSARCC ISVA Service (OxfordUniISVA@osarcc.org.uk; 01865 725311)
2) Victims First ISVA Service (0800 221 8186)
3) A2 Dominion Domestic Abuse Helpline (0800 731 0055; DAS@a2dominion.co.uk)
               4) IHH Online Solidarity Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2537052563277240
               5) OSARCC Listening Service: 0800 783 6294 (text and email support available too! check out
               https://www.osarcc.org.uk/need-support/listening-services/)

Local - sexual health:
1) Solace SARC (in Bicester; only for collecting forensic evidence -  0800 970 9952)
2) Oxford (Churchill) sexual health clinic (don't need to go through your GP -- 01865 231231)
3) Your GP

National - emotional support:
1) Rape Crisis England & Wales (women only - https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/want-to-talk/)
2) Survivors UK (men and non-binary folks only; online helpline here ->
               https://www.survivorsuk.org/young-people/#section-1)
3) National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000247
               4) ManKind: 01823 334244 (men only)
               5) Men's Advice Line: 0808 8010327 (men only)

LGBTQ+ support:
       1) GALOP National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
2) GALOP National LGBT+ Hate Crime Helpline: 0207 704 2040
3) LGBT Foundation: 0345 3 30 30 30

Self-help guides:
               1) The Survivors' Network's Survivors Self Help Guide: https://survivorsnetwork.org.uk/resource/survivors-self-help-guide/
               2) Rape & Sexual Violence Project self-help guides: https://rsvporg.co.uk/self-help/
               3) Survivor stories from RAINN: https://www.rainn.org/stories

Please don't hesitate to contact Mneera (Welfare Officer at IHH -- mneera.saud@keble.ox.ac.uk) or the university's Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service (https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/supportservice) if you want to know more about these services.

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Thank you so much for signing up to join this community -- sending lots of love and healing 💖
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