Building safer communities: a future free from sexual violence

“SARSAS go beyond supporting survivors – they champion those often left out of the conversation, including older women and people with intersecting needs. Through innovative practice and sector leadership, they’re shaping a better future for all affected by sexual violence,” said Laura Bates, a SARSAS patron.

Who is SARSAS?

From the moment I joined SARSAS, I was inspired by the same vision that has guided this organisation since its began as Bristol Rape Crisis in 2008: a world without sexual violence. That belief drove our founders, who started with nothing more than dedication, two women with a phone and a handful of volunteers. Since 2008, we have grown into a region-wide leader in specialist support, education, and prevention but that vision continues to drive everything we do today.

Lorri Weaving, CEO of SARSAS

When I stepped into the role of CEO at SARSAS in 2024, moving from my role as Head of Services, it felt like a natural continuation of a journey I’d been on for many years – standing alongside survivors, centering their voices, and helping shape services grounded in compassion, equality and lived experience.

Today, SARSAS supports over 1000 people of all genders each year across Avon and Somerset through trauma-informed counselling, helplines, 1:1 support, community outreach and innovative services for groups too often overlooked, including people with learning disabilities or autistic people, older women, and LGBTQIA+ people.

This breadth of experience places us at the forefront of understanding how sexual violence affects different communities and what meaningful, accessible support truly looks like.

The SARSAS helpline

But providing support is only part of our mission. If we want to truly end sexual violence, we must prevent it. This means education, cultural change and equipping people and organisations with the skills to challenge harmful norms. Through our expert-led training, awareness raising, campaigning and partnership work, we challenge the social and systemic roots of sexual violence to build safer, more inclusive communities where every survivor is met with understanding and specialist care.

More than a support service: the heart of who we are

What I treasure most about SARSAS is that our work extends far beyond our core services. Yes, our counselling, helplines and training programmes are vital, but our impact also comes from the communities we build and the conversations we help to start, reducing the shame and stigma that allows abuse to thrive.

Our Drop-in and Reach Out programme is one example. Whether in our Bristol office or out in the community, these spaces offer connection and safety to people who might never otherwise access support. I’ve seen the difference it makes when someone finally steps into a place where they feel listened to and believed.

Our fundraising community brings that same spirit to life. Marathon runners, artists, coffee-morning organisers, supporters of our annual Silent Auction – each one helps sustain our work and sends a powerful message: that we are united in standing against sexual violence and for creating safer communities for all.

Running the London Marathon for SARSAS

SARSAS thrives because of the dedication of survivors, staff, volunteers, supporters and the wider community. Being part of this collective effort continues to be one of the greatest privileges of my career.

If you’d like to learn more about our work or how you can get involved, I’d love for you to visit our website.

You can also donate to help more survivors get the support they deserve.

Lorri Weaving is the chief executive officer of SARSAS