Many of you will know, either through speaking to me personally or through material that I've shared online, that tackling and supporting victims of sexual- and gender-based violence has been a cause very close to my heart for a number of years. Over the past two years, in particular, the issues surrounding both the context of such violence and the (lack of) aftercare and guidance available for victims have been acutely highlighted through working in primary and secondary mental health care. Services that we are supposed to signpost and refer people to have closed their waiting lists due to excessive numbers, or people are told that they cannot apply for support until at least a month has passed since the event. This isn't for lack of compassion or desire to help those in need, but a result of ongoing exponential increases in the number of cases of rape and sexual assault, and a lack of funding/time/people/resources to meet demand. 

I've jogged for a total of approximately 48 minutes over the last year since contracting a gorgeous double-whammy of simultaneous Covid and bronchitis, but this May I will be running the Edinburgh half-marathon to raise money for The Survivors Trust (https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/) - just one of the wonderful charities offering support to those affected. I would be truly grateful if you could give anything at all to show your appreciation and allow them to continue and hopefully expand their support. Times are tough right now, so even if you're not able to give a financial contribution it would be hugely appreciated if you could share this page on social media or with anyone you think may be willing to support.

I will be sharing my Strava logs on here so if you're deeply invested you can keep up to date with my progress. Thank you! 

About The Survivors Trust:

Every five minutes in the UK someone experiences rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault by penetration. 15% of girls and 5% of boys have experienced sexual violence by the time they are sixteen.The Survivors Trust is the only UK and Ireland-wide umbrella agency for specialist organisations supporting all survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse. Our core aim is to ensure that society supports all survivors effectively and takes responsibility for ending sexual violence. Help us to achieve this.

Other services to approach if you or someone you know has been affected by rape or sexual assault:

The Havens - https://www.thehavens.org.uk/

Rape Crisis Line - https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/ or contact their free helpline on 0808 802 9999 

Women's Aid - https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

Victim Support - https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/

Male Survivors Partnership - https://malesurvivor.co.uk/