Samaritans
A hotline providing emotional support to anyone in distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout Great Britain and Ireland.
Call 116 123
Email jo@samaritans.org
See their website for webchat
24/7, free of charge and confidential.
Safe Haven Oxford
A service run by Mind UK. Offers short-term additional support out-of-hours for people in Oxfordshire, who are over 18 and experiencing a mental health crisis. Fills the gap between Samaritans and A&E.
Call 01865 903037 (5pm - 9pm)
oxonsafehaven@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
Also available in Banbury
Call 01295 270004 (5pm - 9pm)
Lifecentre UK
Lifecentre UK is a registered charity describing themselves as a "a small team of qualified counsellors who provide support and therapy for people who have had an unwanted sexual experience."
They are based in Sussex but can provide:
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counselling via Zoom or over the phone (click here)
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counselling over weekly email (click here)
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in-person counselling in Chichester, Worthing or Crawley (click here)
They also provide counselling for friends and family of survivors.
They also provide counselling, helplines and play therapy for survivors under 18.
The Lifecentre adult helpline offers emotional support, such as during flashbacks:
Call 0808 802 0808 (free, does not show on bill)
Text 07717 989 022 (standard network cost)
Victims First
Victims First is available across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Many people who contact Victims First have been referred there by police, but Victims First can provide help regardless of whether or not the crime has been reported.
They provide specialised counselling for survivors, online or in-person.
Free of charge and confidential.
Survivors' Self Help Guide
The Survivors' Network is the is Rape Crisis Centre for Sussex, based in Brighton. They have published excellent self-help guides available to all, free-of-charge, including:
Survivors Self Help Guide for survivors of rape or sexual abuse, who want to understand and process their own personal reactions to their experience.
Available to download in multiple languages and in an easy-read version.
Survivors Self Help Guide for Men and Boys for men and boys who have survived sexual violence or abuse.
Self Help Guide for Supporters for professionals, parents, friends or partners supporting survivors.
BACP
BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) has a directory and register of qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. You can search by location and the practitioner's name.
University Counselling Service
They provide individual counselling (for everyone), as well as group counselling (for graduates only).
Their team is multidisciplinary, offering cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic counselling and able to refer to specialist services including EMT and hypnotherapy.
Counsellors are qualified, such as by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), British Psychological Society (BPS), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and/or United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Email counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk to complete the pre-appointment form and join the waiting list.
This is not an emergency service.
Free of charge and confidential.
Galop
Galop is a national charity for LGBTQ+ victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and other abuse.
They offer:
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LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Survivors Forum: access here
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National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: call 0800 9995428, email help@galop.org.uk, webchat and chatbot
MindOut
MindOut provides an Online Support Live Chat specifically for members of the LGBTQ community. It offers:
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emotional and listening support without judgement and unwanted advice or opinions
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information and signposting in the right direction
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help you to think about ways to stay safe and develop coping strategies
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general conversation about whatever is on your mind
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space to talk through choices and decisions
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space to reflect and to problem solve
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contact with LGBTQ people to help you feel less alone or isolated
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an opportunity to share opinions and talk about issues and events that are important to you
They also offer themed sessions, including for people who have experienced Domestic Abuse.
They are based in Brighton, but their Online Support Live Chat is available internationally.
Click here to access the support live chat.
Open most days.
Check the website for up-to-date hours.
Free of charge, confidential, anonymous.
Talking Space
A collaboration between NHS and Mind UK. An IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) service, focusing on anxiety and depression.
Talking Space Plus offers:
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guided self-help/CBT (over the phone, up to six 30-minute sessions spaced two weeks apart)
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counselling
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support groups
Currently, all services are online/digital.
Fill out their self-referral form here.
Free-of-charge and confidential.
Mind UK
A registered UK charity that provides information about mental health conditions (the "mental health A-Z" page), including PTSD, and services, including online peer support, local Mind services, helplines and legal support.
Contact the Mind UK Infoline to ask about mental health, where to get help near you, treatment options and advocacy services.
Call 0300 123 3393
Email info@mind.org.uk
Contact the Mind UK Legal Line to ask about being detained under the Mental Health Act (sectioning), mental capacity, community care, and discrimination and equality.
Call 0300 466 6463
Email legal@mind.org.uk
getselfhelp.co.uk
Provides CBT self help and therapy resources, including worksheets and information sheets, plus videos and self help mp3s.
NAPAC
NAPAC (National Association for People Abused in Childhood) offers support to adult survivors of all types of childhood abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect.
They offer:
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a popular series of booklets for survivors and their supporters (click here)
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a support line (see below)
Call 0808 801 0331
Open Monday to Friday.
Free of charge and confidential.
Email support@napac.org.uk
Or use their online form (click here)
SHOUT
A texting hotline providing support to anyone in the UK for a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self-harm, abuse, relationship problems and suicidal thoughts.
Text 85258
24/7, free of charge and confidential.
OSARCC
OSARCC (Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre) is a service for survivors of sexual violence in Oxfordshire (including students) who are women (including trans women) or AFAB.
OSARCC offers:
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an anonymous listening service
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email (response time: < 7 days)
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call hotline
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support groups (wait time: months)
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counselling (wait time: 1 year)
Free-of-charge and confidential.
Safeline
Safeline is a trauma-informed charity that works to prevent sexual violence and abuse and to support those affected to cope and recover. They are based in Warwickshire.
They offer:
Telephone or online counselling for adults across England and Wales who experienced child sexual abuse (CSA). For more information, click here. To apply, email onlinecounselling@safeline.org.uk, call 0192 640 2498 or complete the self-referral form here.
National Male Survivor Helpline
Inclusive of cisgender (cis), transgender (trans) and non-binary identities.
Language interpreter available
Open everyday
Call 0808 800 5005
Text 0786 006 5187
Email support@safeline.org.uk.
Online chat (click here)
Survivors UK
Survivors UK provides specialist support for men, boys and non-binary people who have experienced sexual abuse at any time in their lives.
They offer:
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the National Male Survivors Online Helpline. Text 020 3322 1860 or use their webchat.
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a support group in London
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individual counselling in London. Call 0203 598 3898, email info@survivorsuk.org or complete their online referral form.
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a database of male sexual abuse counselling and support services here
Counselling Directory
The Counselling Directory allows you to search for qualified counsellors in the UK by location and preferred mode (online/phone or in-person).
CCI Self Help Guides
Self help resources for a range of issues, including assertiveness, appearance concerns, health anxiety, perfectionism, tolerating distress, and more.
Solace SARC
Solace SARC (sexual assault referral centre) is a service in Bicester and Slough that provides specialised services for survivors. They are known for being the only service in Oxfordshire able to provide forensic medical examinations (FMEs) (see our FAQs).
They also provide specialised counselling for survivors (recent and historic, all genders) and their friends and family.
Free of charge and confidential.
Switchboard Helpline
Practical and emotional support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people on a range of issues, including relationship issues, family problems, issues at work or college, safer sex and sexual health.
Services are delivered by trained LGBT staff, and support LGBT+ people, friends and family.
Call 0300 330 0630
Open 10:00-22:00 every day
Email chris@switchboard.lgbt
Emails are typically replied to within 72 hours
Visit the website for webchat option
PTSD UK
A registered charity dedicated to raising awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (both PTSD and complex PTSD).
They have useful information pages on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
EMDR Association UK
The professional regulatory body for EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) clinicians and researchers in the UK.
They provide information about what EMDR is and how it can help with conditions like PTSD (click here).
They also have a locator service to find accredited EMDR therapists in the UK (click here).
HAVOCA Survivor Forum
HACOVA (Help for Adult Victims of Child Abuse) is run by and for adult survivors of child abuse. They offer a Survivor Forum, blog and signposting to support groups and organisations across the UK and the world..
Support for Survivors
Support for Survivors is a Nottingham-based charity for adult survivors of child abuse, be it sexual, physical, incest abuse, rape or neglect. Inclusive to all, including male, female, LGBT+, BAMER survivors, those with physical or learning disabilities, and those who were abused within the Church.
They offer face-to-face services across the East Midlands, including one-to-one, group and drop-in support.
Call 0115 962 2722
Email hello@supportforsurvivors.org
Mental Health
support
(College + University + Oxford + UK)
