Trafford Rape Crisis Helpline
Trafford Rape Crisis provides a free, confidential helpline service, offering non-judgemental specialist support for women and girls who have suffered, or been impacted by, any form of rape, sexual violence or sexual abuse.
Women and girls may use the helpline at any point during or after their trauma: no matter when the abuse happened. We may also provide support or advice for those calling on behalf of a victim.
The Trafford Rape Crisis helpline is open on:
0161 647 7559
Tuesday evening: 6pm to 9pm
Thursday evening: 6pm to 9pm
Sunday afternoon: 3pm to 6pm
If you need to call our freephone, you can call during the above times on 0800 783 4608.
About our rape crisis helpline
Who does the helpline?
Our helpline is run by volunteers who have undergone an in-depth 5-week training course, covering a range of topics from the wider social context of why sexual violence occurs, through to specific topics including trauma, child sexual abuse (CSA), Dissociative Identity Disorder or ritual abuse. They are given the opportunity to learn from experienced TRC members and real-life case study examples to broaden their understanding.
All volunteers are interviewed before and on completion of the training and will also shadow experienced helpline workers before beginning to take calls.
They receive ongoing support and clinical supervision from TRC as long as they are working on the helpline, in the form of our monthly group support meetings and continual supervision from our Volunteer Coordinator.
What support do our helpline volunteers offer?
Helpline volunteers offer a confidential and non-judgemental safe space for victims, survivors or anyone affected by rape and sexual violence to gain emotional support, to talk through their experiences, or to be signposted for further specialist support, if appropriate.
Our volunteers are not trained counsellors; the helpline is not a dedicated rape or trauma counselling service. Our helpline ethos is to listen, to believe, to support.
The type of support each helpline user needs can differ from one individual to the next. If you’re not ready to talk about your experience, that’s OK; if you don’t feel able to talk at all, we can just be there beside you. Whatever you need: it’s your call.
Whether you’re looking for immediate help or support, or calling weeks, months or even years after the fact, we endeavour to provide tailored support for what you need at that moment.
Trafford Rape Crisis services
Helpline - 0161 647 7559
Our confidential helpline is open Tues, 6-9pm, Thurs, 6-9pm, and Sun, 3-6pm.
Email - dorothytrc@hotmail.co.uk
Email us at any time of the day or night and as often as helps you.
Counselling
One-to-one counselling available with specially trauma-trained therapists at our dedicated centre.
Part of a network
Our helpline is open three days a week, but we understand there may be times outside of this when you need to talk to someone. We are part of the Rape Crisis Network, which is made up of a number of regional and national services. You can find details on their website. Alternatively, the Samaritans is open 24/7 on 116 123.
If you call the helpline and need specialist support that we can’t offer, we aim to signpost or refer you to the relevant organisation or agency to get the help you need.
This may be to our local SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) in the immediate aftermath of an assault for medical attention and forensic evidence gathering, for example; or for the support of an ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor).
We will never tell you what to do: but we can let you know what options are available.
We are also an organisation run by women, for women. We recognise that rape and sexual violence can happen to anyone, regardless of their gender; however, the experience and context around it often differs, requiring specialist training and support. For that reason, if we receive calls from a male caller we will refer them to our partner specialist male sexual violence support service, Survivors Manchester.
Live chat service
Don’t feel able to speak on the phone? Worried about being overheard?
The Live Chat Helpline is a free, confidential text-based service that you can access through the Rape Crisis England & Wales website.
The Live Chat Helpline operators are there to listen and offer emotional support for up to 45 minutes. You can talk about what happened to you, how you feel, and any difficulties you are facing.
To access the service, or find out more information, including opening times, please visit rapecrisis.org.uk
How else can we help?
We are continually evaluating our service and how best to support women. If there are other ways you believe Trafford Rape Crisis may be able to provide support or benefit women in the community, we’d love to hear your suggestions or feedback. If you know of any community-based groups, events or alternate forms of support you’d like us to consider, please send your suggestions along to traffordrapecrisis@googlemail.com.
