Adult Sexual Exploitation Service - The Branch Project
A specialist free and confidential support service for adults impacted by sexual violence. This could be in sex work, prostitution, trafficking or when sex is used to survive.
What is Adult Sexual Exploitation (ASE)?
Sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse. Most adults are presumed to have capacity to consent to sexual activity, however the impact of grooming, which involves coercion, control, manipulation and deceit, has a negative impact on the ability to truly consent and make informed decisions.
Sexual Exploitation
We recognise that sexual exploitation may not end or start just because someone is post 18 years old. Branch Plus are here to offer support if someone is questioning or believes that another person or group is using their power or control for sexual exchanges.
Survival Sex
We understand that some people need to exchange sex to access a necessity, for example a need to live. This maybe food, a roof above your head for the night, or items for children. Sometimes called survival sex and there is no judgement at Branch plus but instead a safe space for support.
Sex Work / Prostitution
We acknowledge that sex workers or prostitutes may need support too. Sexual violence can happen to anyone in any work or life situation.
No formal report or disclosure needs to be made to be supported by the Branch Plus service.
Who are we?
All Branch Plus workers are qualified Independent Sexual Violence Advocates (ISVA). We are independent workers who can provide practical and emotional support to anyone aged 18 or over who has experienced rape or sexual abuse at any time in their life.
Branch Plus workers are specially trained to support you to explore any options that may be available and provide you with information to empower you to make informed choices. Branch Plus offers free, non-judgemental support tailored to your individual needs.
We see people’s lives limited by the labels placed upon them – Prostitute. Sex Worker. Client. Case. We work with them to write a different story. We see an individual. A family member. A friend. A person.
Our work maps out possibilities with the person we are supporting, we join them on their journey, empowering them to identify and voice their goals and needs.
We actively promote a non-judgemental approach; we treat everyone with respect, value, and dignity regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, background, ability, culture or religious beliefs.
How can we help?
- Offer free, confidential support by phone, online, or in person.
- Provide information about any options that may be available to you and support you to make informed decisions.
- Help you decide if you wish to report to the police and give you information about the legal process and your rights.
- Work with you to create individual risk assessments and support and safety plans.
- Support you to make practical and manageable steps that can help you exit sexual exploitation.
- Support you to access services such as counselling or drug and alcohol services, and provide advocacy in areas such as social care, health, education, employment, housing and with other voluntary agencies.
At Branch Plus we seek to provide an integrated model of advocacy support that recognises that the survivor is the expert on their own experiences. Our team can help empower survivors to establish a sense of control, providing them with the information to make their own informed choices.
There is no right or wrong way of coping with sexual violence and we understand that everyone has their own way of dealing with trauma. With the support from Branch Plus we can advocate to support in difficult times to meet some of the practical, emotional and social needs you may have.
Recovering from sexual violence is a process and it looks different for everyone. Branch Plus can support you with this journey.
Empower, Cope, Recover
The Branch Plus Project runs throughout Worcestershire and Herefordshire. Branch Plus Project Workers are trained sexual exploitation support workers and accredited ISVAs (Independent Sexual Violence Advocates). They provide advocacy, education, intervention and one-to-one support to anyone who is at risk of or has been a victim of sexual exploitation.
Support is always delivered with consent and is comprised of three interlinked pathways:
Empower
Psychosocial educational support interventions are delivered including those whose involvement with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) has finished or where no criminal justice process is pursued.
Cope
Where a disclosure has been made, one-to-one practical and emotional support, including advocacy, is delivered to help a person throughout the Criminal Justice System. We also provide advocacy outside of the criminal justice process (Social Care, Health, Education, Employment, Housing, other voluntary agencies).
Recover
For those who have experienced sexual exploitation, one-to-one psychosocial support interventions are delivered including those whose involvement with CJS has finished or where no CJS process is being pursued.
How to refer into our services
Branch Plus accepts self-referrals as it is important that you have a choice in the services you receive. We do recognise that making that first call or contact can be difficult and that you might need support from another agency / service to do so. We will accept referrals from other services but they must have your consent prior to making the referral to Branch Plus.
We recognise how hard it is for you to make that call and we will do all we can to support you.
The Branch Plus service can offer male or female workers, if you have a preference, please discuss this during your initial assessment.
If you need any other information please contact us via email on: referrals@wmrsasc.org.uk