Rape Crisis: www.rapecrisis.org.uk
National organisation of rape crisis groups.  This site includes useful information about rape and abuse and also gives you contact details for the rape crisis centres in England and Wales.

Rights of Women: www.rightsofwomen.org.uk
Longstanding women’s group who provide women with the legal advice and information they need to understand and use the law and their legal rights.

Survivors Manchester: http://www.survivorsmanchester.org.uk/
A survivor-led/survivor-run voluntary organisation that aims to create and facilitate a safe space for male survivors of sexual abuse and rape to work through personal and sometimes painful issues.

Trafford Domestic Abuse Services: http://www.tdas.org.uk/
Local domestic abuse services including refuge services, within Trafford.

Women’s Aid: www.womensaid.org.uk
Home of the refuge movement in England, a good resource for anyone who wants support because of domestic abuse, or who wants to learn about domestic abuse.

Independent Choices: www.domesticabusehelpline.co.uk 
Greater Manchester’s local domestic abuse service.  Access to refuges and other local services.

NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

The UK’s leading children’s charity fights to end child abuse and offers a range of support services, including a helpline and specialised counselling for both children and families affected.

Books for survivors to use:

Ellen Bass & Laura Davis, “The Courage to Heal” Cedar, 1988.

Laura Davis, “The Courage to Heal Workbook“, Harper, 1990.

“The Courage to Heal” was created by two American women who wanted to provide a resource for survivors.  It is not possible for one book to be perfect for everyone, but many woman have found this a useful tool in helping them to feel less alone, less guilty and less afraid.

The later “workbook” is useful in that it really encourages you to write something for yourself, by having spaces in which to do so.  It encourages you to think about situations where you might need help, what your strengths are and many other positive things, not simply to list the abuse.  Both are worth a look, if you want soemthing to refer to, or if you are trying to support someone who is a survivor.

Ouaine Bain & Maureen Sanders, “Out in the Open: A guide for Young People who have been sexuall abused”, Virago, 1990.

A small and manageable book which speaks very plainly about abuse and aims to help to bust a lot of myths.

Books about the Rape Crisis movement:

Susan Brownmiller, “In our time: Memoir of a revolution” Delta, 1999.

An account of the women’s movement from one of the women who was involved from the very early days, in 1960s America.  Brownmiller writes in an easy to read style and tells, amongst other things, how the rape crisis movement began.

Helen Jones & Kate Cook, “Rape Crisis: Responding to Sexual Violence”, 2008.

The story of the British Rape Crisis movement by two women who have remained involved over a number of years.

Survivor Accounts:

Maya Angelou, “I know why the caged bird sings”, Virago, 1984.

African American author, Maya Angelou, grew up in the south, in the 1920s and was raped by her mother’s lover.  Her account of her childhood has inspired many women to reconsider their own childhood experiences.

Sylvia Fraser, “My Father’s House: A Memoir of Incest and Healing”, Virago, 1987.

An account of her Sylvia’s own abuse and of the creative way she coped, by forgetting everything to do with that hurt.  Years later, she began to remember and deal with the pain she was left with.

Jill Saward and Wendy Green, “Rape, My Story”, Bloomsbury, 1990.

Jill’s account of her rape which took place at home, with her father and boyfriend held prisoner, in another room.  Her case was very high profile and Jill chose to waive her anonymity and still campaigns for justice in rape cases, to this day.

Academic books about rape and other forms of sexual violence:

Susan Estrich, “Real Rape: How the Legal System Victimizes Women who say No”, Harvard University Press, 1987.

A book written by a woman who was raped, but who is also a professor of law in an American University.  Readable and powerful, this has proven to be an important analysis of what is wrong with legal approaches to rape.

Liz Kelly “Surviving Sexual Violence”, Polity Press, 1988.

A book which examines the links between rape, sexual assault, forced or coerced sex and wolf whistles, gropes and other indiginities which women face every day.  The book came out of research into women’s experiences and helped to shape the way many British academics think about sexual violence.