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Jo Coles - York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Jo Coles - North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Home - Addressing violence against women and girls - #ITSNOTOK – Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2025

#ITSNOTOK – Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2025

The Office shares information about the services available in York and North Yorkshire for anyone who suffers from sexual abuse and violence.

For Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week this year, the York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles along with the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning highlights some of the services they commission to support any individuals of sexual abuse and violence in York and North Yorkshire.#ITSNOTOK 

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service

Find out how the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service, provided by IDAS – (Independent Domestic Abuse Services) supports women and girls in North Yorkshire & York.

IDAS Safe lives, free from abuse and violence

IDAS is the largest specialist charity in the North supporting people affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Sexual Assault Referral Centre

Sexual Assault Referral Centre – We listen. We hear.

Free support and practical help is available to anyone in North Yorkshire who has ​experienced sexual violence and/or sexual abuse, whether or not you have reported to the police.

We are here to help regardless of when the abuse happened. You will need an appointment before coming to the Centre. To book your appointment please:

Our team can normally arrange for you to visit within 24-48 hours, so you won’t have to wait long.

Supporting Victims

If you have been a victim of crime and need help to cope and recover, contact:

Survive – Rebuilding lives after sexual violence

Survive will listen to you.

It’s tough to talk about sexual trauma.

As a survivor, you can start your journey now to manage your trauma.

Survive offers you appointments either face to face, online or on the telephone.

Emma’s Story

As part of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2025 Survive – who deliver specialist trauma-informed services and trauma-informed interventions to adult survivors of sexual violence and abuse across York and North Yorkshire, asked Jo Coles – Deputy Mayor of the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning for York and North Yorkshire, to share Emma’s story of hope and healing, with the message that it is never the fault of the survivor and that sexual violence can happen to anyone.

To support the work that Survive does, please head to their website: www.survive-northyorks.org.uk
#ItsNotOK

Women’s Centre

The Women’s Centre supports all women in a safe, woman only environment.

Further information can be found on our Women’s Centre page

If you have been a victim of crime and need help to cope and recover, contact:

Supporting Victims

What is an Exploitation Risk Assessment Conference?

Did you know that in North Yorkshire we have an Exploitation Risk Assessment Conference (ERAC)?

ERAC is a multi-agency approach to address the needs of women who may be victims of, or at risk of becoming victims of exploitation, including sexual exploitation. This may include ‘survival sex’ such as ‘sex for rent’ or sex in exchange for drugs/alcohol.

If you have concerns about a woman who may be at risk of sexual exploitation please contact [email protected].

Signs to look out for:

  • Physical signs of abuse
  • Multiple Phones
  • New clothes etc, which are unexplained
  • Using multiple names or nicknames
  • Criminal Activity
  • Referencing a ‘cousin’ or ‘uncle’ that they’re staying with
  • Large amounts of money being transferred or not having control over finances / no bank card
  • Not turning up to appointments or asking someone to come with them
  • Turing up in different cars

If you are a woman experiencing sexual exploitation then you can receive confidential, non-judgemental support in a women-only environment at the Women’s Wellness Centre. Please contact [email protected].

Further information can be found on our Women’s Centre page

Exploitation & Missing Support Service – North Yorkshire SOS+ Project Funding

North Yorkshire SOS+ is delivered by St. Giles Trust and provides support to those aged 10-25 who may be affected by exploitation, including:

  • Victims of Exploitation
  • Those who may be at risk of exploitation
  • Those at risk of becoming exploiters
  • Those who repeatedly go missing

In addition to supporting victims of exploitation to cope with the immediate impacts from the crime and to build resilience, the service has a focus on early intervention and prevention, via community outreach and awareness raising across youth and educational settings. The service also works to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of all forms of exploitation.

Any agency can make a referral, and the service accepts self-referrals. For further information or to make a referral please email:
[email protected]

Download & Print Out Project Postcards:

‘Libby GIRLS’ (Growing, Inspiring, Resilient Leaders) Serious Violence Duty Project Funding

St Giles also have a project currently funded by our Serious Violence Duty Fund until March 2025 where they will take some of the learning from their existing Liberty Links project to test an approach of grassroots community engagement with young women and girls in Scarborough’s highest crime area, enhancing wider work including VAWG strategy, Female Whole Systems Approach, Clear Hold Build and Humber Coast and Vale project.

You can read more about the project funding here:

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