Pioneering Partnership Working to Provide Talking Therapies from Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)

Abstract

Sexual violence may have a negative psychological impact on the victim. Some survivors will in time recover whilst others will go on to develop PTSD or suffer long term psychological sequelae, such as depression and anxiety. The Kent SARC, in conjunction with the Kent mental health partnership trust have developed a screening tool for nurses and crisis workers to assess which survivors are at particular risk of psychological harm and might benefit from rapid access to talking therapies, including EMDR. The screening tool and the pathway to permit rapid access to talking therapies is discussed and an early data set presented for patients treated through this pathway.