Survivor Space Oxfordshire

Who we are

At Survivor Space Oxfordshire, we are dedicated to providing safe, inclusive, and empowering support to survivors of sexual violence. We believe in a future where every survivor is heard, valued, and supported in their healing. Our work is guided by feminist values, a commitment to equality, and an unyielding passion to stand with survivors in their most critical times of need.

Survivor Space Oxfordshire began in 1979 as a collective of volunteer women committed to supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Since 2009, we have grown into a registered charity with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, all striving to create lasting change.

Formerly known as the Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC), we rebranded in 2024 as Survivor Space Oxfordshire. This name reflects our continued dedication to trauma-informed care while expanding our reach to even more survivors across Oxfordshire.

We now work with all genders, across our services, though continue to offer a dedicated women-only space for those that want this.

Our culture and values

Our approach is rooted in compassion, respect, and empowerment. We uphold the following principles to ensure survivors always feel supported and empowered:

• Non-Directive: Survivors are in control of their healing. We provide information and options without pressuring any specific decision.
   
• Non-Judgemental: We listen, believe, and support survivors without passing judgement. Everyone is welcome and valued.
   
• Empowering: Our goal is to strengthen survivors’ abilities to reclaim their lives.
   
• Confidentiality: All services are confidential, within the bounds of our safeguarding policies.
   
• Free of Charge: Accessibility is key. All services are provided without cost.
   
• Inclusive: We actively challenge racism, sexism, ableism, and all forms of discrimination, creating a space that celebrates diversity and inclusivity.
   
• Belief: We believe survivors. It was not their fault, and we work to actively challenge misconceptions about sexual violence.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

An intersectional approach

Survivor Space believes in intersectional feminism, which means we recognise the multiple different oppressions which women may face. This includes oppressions based on aspects of a women’s identity such as age, class, relationship status, employment status, race, physical health, mental health, education, wealth, sexuality, family structure, religion, nationality, immigration status, and many others.

We welcome applications from women who may be under-represented within our sector and have committed to ACEVOs principles to address the diversity deficit in charity leadership.

Survivor Space Oxfordshire recognises that anti-racism needs to be an active and conscious process to work against every aspects of both overt and systemic racism.

A particular focus on anti-racism is required as reports indicate that where an individual person has two or more protected characteristics (for example, Black women or Black LGBT+ people), individuals feel mostly discriminated against because of their race. While shifts have been made towards gender equity, the benefit of these shifts thus far are felt the most by white women.

To do this we denounce all forms of racism and we commit to challenging all forms of racism both inside and outside of our own organisation where it be from individuals, groups or organisations.

We commit to keeping an action plan that helps us to be pro-active in taking steps to challenge racism, provide education and ensure that an anti-racist approach is not just theory or policy but a living document enabling all staff, volunteers and service users to be part of our anti-racist organisation.