Mission and values

 

Vision

All women and girls will be free from the fear and the experience of sexual violence.

 

Mission

Our mission has three strands:

 

• To empower women and girls who have experienced sexual violence
• To lead, deliver and advise on the best possible service provision for Survivors
• To work towards the elimination of sexual violence in all its forms

 

Context

As a feminist organisation, we recognise that sexual violence is both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality.

 

Sexual violence is any unwanted sexual act or activity. There are many different kinds of sexual violence, including but not restricted to: rape, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, forced marriage, so-called “honour based” violence, female genital mutilation, online forms of sexual bullying and abuse, sexual violence as a weapon of war, trafficking, prostitution, exposure to or making of pornography, ritualised and organised abuse. All of these forms of sexual violence are often underpinned by a pattern of coercive control. Sexual violence may involve a single perpetrator or a group of perpetrators. Perpetrators may be strangers but are more often known and may be in a position of trust or authority.

 

In order to achieve our vision, we will provide a safe, women-only space within which to support and work with our service users.

 

Bradford Rape Crisis & Sexual Abuse Survivors Service operates and delivers services in Bradford and the surrounding districts. The organisation is a member of Rape Crisis England and Wales

 

Values

We are a feminist organisation, committed to creating and delivering services run by women for women and girls, and challenging patriarchal power constructs which continue to stifle and prevent women and girls from participating fully in society and achieving their full potential.

 

We believe that sexual violence service provision is most effective when it is specialist, independent, survivor- and needs-led. It should be delivered by “not for profit organisations” that embody principles of participation and provide responsive survivor-centred services. We recognise factors such as age, class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability can affect survivors’ experience of sexual violence.

 

We believe in evidence-based service delivery and building innovation to meet the needs of survivors.

We are committed to the highest standards of public service including recognising the NOLAN principles as a guiding framework for how we operate.

 

Our prevention work is delivered to girls and boys, and we support other organisations to develop specialist services for men and boys.

 

Aims

In order to realise our vision and achieve our mission, our aims are:

 

• To provide a range of appropriate and effective services to support women and girl survivors in their recovery
• To be at the forefront of developing new services which support survivors in their recovery
• To enable women and girls who have experienced sexual violence to have a voice
• To promote greater public understanding of the nature, context and impact of sexual violence
• To work with relevant agencies to draw up legislation, policy and practice which improves service provision, reduces barriers to support & justice, reduces and ultimately eliminates sexual violence
• To ensure that the running of our organisation is effective, values driven and that the future security of the organisation is based on independently generated income as well as sources of public sector funding

Anti Racism Statement

 

BRC & SASS is committed to inclusive, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice rooted in feminist intersectional principles and values. While BRC& SASS has a strong commitment to anti-discrimination and inclusion in supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse, we recognize the need to actively acknowledge and address the pervasive impact of racism on Black Asian and minoritized women who access and provide our support services.

BRC&SASS acknowledge that racism goes beyond conscious or open hostility towards individuals or communities due to their race or culture and that the pervasive nature of societal structural inequality can inadvertently be replicated in organizational practices and policies which undermines our commitment to inclusive practice of fairness and equality.

We continuously review our service delivery, workplace and professional conduct and are committed to address and challenge   policies, behaviors and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.

Our commitment to anti- racism is at the core of our mission and values.  We strive to create a society where every woman and   girl can live free from fear, violence, and discrimination. We believe in fostering an environment that values diversity, equality, and inclusion to achieve these goals and we are committed to the following actions.

 

Education and awareness:

We will actively educate ourselves and our community of survivors and workers about the intersectionality of racism and sexual violence, this includes understanding the unique challenges and barriers faced by women and girls from different racial and minoritized background.

Advocacy:

We will advocate for policies and practises that focus on eliminating racial disparities and ensuring equal access to resources and support.

Representation:

We will continue to enhance our dedicated Black Asian and Ethnic minority women support services to be culturally competent and responsive to the diverse needs of survivors. We will commit to promoting diversity within our organisation ensuring that our leadership, staff, and volunteers reflect the communities we serve. We will actively seek collaboration with Black Asian and Ethni minority women recognising that collective efforts are essential for lasting change.