Letter from ERCC Board

In May 2024 Rape Crisis Scotland commissioned an independent review of the National Service Standards (NSS) at ERCC. This is the first of its kind, as Rape Crisis Scotland implement a new strategy to ensure that NSS is being used by all Rape Crisis Scotland member organisations.

We welcomed this independent review as it provided an opportunity to ensure the service we provide is in line with the NSS and to recognise the hard work of our staff who are delivering support to survivors daily.

We recognise that we got things wrong. We are sorry. We are committed to putting things right and implementing the recommendations in the report.

In the past year we have delivered specialist support, counselling and advocacy to 1,149 survivors of sexual violence. We received 699 referrals and provided approximately 11,608 hours of support and contact to survivors across our services. As part of Rape Crisis Scotland’s national prevention project, we delivered in-person workshops in schools across Edinburgh, East and Midlothian and West Lothian.

The independent review outlined that we have delivered positive outcomes for survivors of sexual violence requiring support reporting they:  

• felt safer and more in control of their lives and choices
• felt more able to cope with the impacts of sexual violence
• developed improved well-being and resilience

The independent review also identified areas for improvement; including a change of culture and the need to strengthen systems and procedures, to continue delivering excellence in supporting survivors of sexual violence or abuse.

Communication with Rape Crisis Scotland is happening on a daily basis to ensure that we are implementing the recommendations.

The current Board have immediately taken action on three key areas highlighted by RCS:

• We reinstated and clarified our women only spaces in February 2024
• All staff have up to date safeguarding training, and our safeguarding policy was reviewed in December 2023
• All staff have attended refresher training on data protection, and our data protection policy has just been reviewed

Work is underway on the wider recommendations and we want to not only meet the needs of the NSS but exceed them.

We strive to provide a safe accessible and inclusive service and are committed to continuously improving. We want to reassure all survivors who are currently accessing our services and anyone seeking support that we are still here for you, and you matter to us.