Trust House Lancashire: charity offers support as sexual offences in the county rise by 34%

Supporting children and adults affected by any kind of sexual violence whilst also educating communities about abuse, Trust House is a specialist rape and sexual assault support centre based in Preston. Working across Lancashire, the charity aims to help people to recover and lead fulfilling and happy lives not limited by their abuse experiences.

Established in 2013, Trust House provides counselling, family support, wellbeing groups, and myriad other resources including play, art, and pre-trial therapy. Until Trust House, there was very limited specialist support for the survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Lancashire, with the charity founded off the back of a Ministry of Justice grant in recognition of this gap in specialist provision.

Since then, an increasing number of survivors of rape and sexual assault have come forward to access crucial support, with many of those coming to Trust House having never previously disclosed or reported their experiences. Trust House understands the complex therapeutic needs of individuals who have experienced a high level of trauma and can assist in navigating criminal justice processes whilst protecting individuals from further distress.

“With one in 20 children, one in six men and one in three women experiencing some form of sexual abuse,” says Catherine Smith, CEO for Trust House Lancashire. “It’s imperative that funds are raised to enable Trust House to offer support to take those affected by it to go beyond their experience and feel safe in normal environments that others take for granted.

“Last year, Trust House supported 1,200 people,” adds Catherine. “Yet [the charity] is not well known as there is no sign above the door for obvious reasons and people who have used the service don’t usually tell others.”

This service is this year marking its 10th anniversary and, in celebration of the milestone, has launched its Ten for Trust House challenge, which encourages people to create their own fundraising endeavours based around the number 10. They also received a generous £4,500 donation from law firm Simpson Millar - enough to pay for 16 counselling sessions for nine adults.

Following their sell-out fundraising Spring Ball and the Tropic Skin Care event in March, other Trust House events include the Fashion Show on April 24, the Morecambe Bay Walk on May 13, and the Golf Day at Leyland Golf Club on September 8, with much more to come.

“We’re excited to be launching our 10th anniversary celebrations with our Ten for Trust House challenge and a 2023 diary that is full of fundraising events,” continues Catherine. “We’re [also] extremely grateful to all of our supporters for their efforts to raise funds.

“It all makes an enormous difference and will help us to keep operating throughout the next year, helping abuse survivors from across Lancashire.”