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Who Are We ?
Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse (CARA) is a confidential support service run by women for women children and young people of both genders under the age of 19 who have suffered any form of sexual violence, past or present. We provide formal counselling for rape and sexual assault, including child sexual abuse. We also offer an advocacy service and can accompany women to the police, to court, to the GUM clinic, or to other meetings if they request it. We are continually looking at other ways in which we can expand our services, if possible or appropriate.
CARA was formerly Colchester Rape Crisis Line (CRCL) and continues the work that began when CRCL became a registered charity in 1989. As an organisational member of BACP we are bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy and subject to the professional conduct procedure therein.
We are also members of a number of other networks and bodies, including:
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Rape Crisis England & Wales
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Domestic abuse forums covering mid and north east Essex
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Telephone Helplines Association
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Survivors Trust
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Mission Statement
CARA believes that sexual violence is completely unacceptable. We support those who have been affected and raise awareness in the wider community of the consequences of sexual abuse, assault and rape.
The history of our Services The organisation has always relied on its volunteers – for much of its early history there were no full-time paid staff.
The first full-time member of staff was employed in January 2002. We have since been able to secure fixed term funding for two more paid positions, one part-time Child & Family Practitioner, and one full-time Young Person's Practitioner.
In June 2008 CRCL became CARA
CARA currently consists of a team of dedicated counsellors and advocates, overseen by the Manager, Child & Family Practitioners, Women's Practitioner and Young Persons' Practitioner. We provide a service across mid and north Essex, using permanent outreach.
As a registered charity and a charitable company limited by guarantee, CARA is overseen by a board of trustees (directors), responsible for overall management and governance.
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