Rape And Sexual Violence Project
Charity 1134387
Overview
Summary
RSVP appears to operate as a specialist, survivor-centred support organisation within Birmingham and Solihull, combining direct therapeutic help with advocacy, family support and public-facing prevention work. Its role is broader than crisis response: it seeks to make reporting, recovery and social connection more accessible for survivors across ages and genders, while retaining women-only provision. The available evidence suggests an organisation balancing inclusive access with tailored spaces and specialist routes for particular groups.
Operational geography
Coverage: Citywide
Operational areas:
- City Centre
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
City Centre
Confidence: high
Direct current evidence identifies RSVP's location, and its 2024–25 impact report confirms delivery at both RSVP premises and a city-centre site.
- RSVP, Contact Us page
RSVP distinguishes its PO Box from its service location. - RSVP Impact Report 2024–2025
The report records adult counselling delivered 'at RSVP premises' and refers to waiting times at 'our city centre site'.
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence: RSVP's current website states that its services are open to adults and children across Birmingham and Solihull, and the 2024–25 impact report describes its work as supporting survivors in Birmingham and Solihull. This supports a citywide operational identity within Birmingham rather than a neighbourhood or district focus.
- Reasonable interpretation: RSVP's city-centre base appears to be a principal physical delivery site, while counselling, advocacy, helpline, webchat and online support enable access across Birmingham rather than being confined to that location.
- RSVP reports adult counselling at outreach sites and active street-based outreach through its Red Project, but does not publicly identify the Birmingham locations. These have not been assigned to wards or places, both because the evidence is insufficient and because service-location confidentiality may be relevant.
- RSVP's partnership with Umbrella Sexual Health Services materially extends access to advocacy through Umbrella's Abuse Survivors Clinic, where RSVP ISVAs attend twice monthly. The available evidence does not identify a Birmingham clinic location, so it cannot support an additional operational-area entry.
- The PO Box address has not been treated as an operational site.
Additional evidence needed
- A current RSVP service-location list, suitable for publication and safeguarding requirements, showing which outreach locations operate in Birmingham and whether they are ongoing.
- Confirmation from RSVP or Umbrella Sexual Health Services of the location or locations of the Abuse Survivors Clinic attended by RSVP ISVAs.
- Current evidence identifying the geographic scope and delivery locations of the Red Project's street outreach and weekly drop-in within Birmingham.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
- Other Defined Groups
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A whole-pathway model rather than a single service
RSVP appears to support people at several points in the aftermath of sexual violence: reporting to police, counselling, peer connection, self-help and support for relatives. This may indicate a deliberate attempt to reduce the fragmentation survivors can face between criminal-justice, therapeutic and informal-support systems.
Why it matters
This helps explain RSVP's civic role as a connector across recovery needs, not solely a counselling provider. Its effectiveness may therefore depend on relationships with police, referral partners and community networks.
Show evidence
“The charity provides independent support when child and adult survivors report to the police, counselling, group support, social groups, a helpline and self-help information.”
Source:Charity Commission“It supports family, friends and allies as well as survivors.”
Source:Organisation
Inclusion is paired with deliberately differentiated provision
RSVP presents itself as open to children, adults and people of all genders, while maintaining women-only counselling and social spaces and specialist support for asylum seekers and refugees. This suggests it treats equal access and tailored safety as compatible rather than competing aims.
Why it matters
The organisation may hold useful practical knowledge about designing services for a broad survivor population without assuming that one format suits everyone. This could make it a valuable learning partner for other inclusive services.
Show evidence
“Services are open to adults and children of all genders across Birmingham and Solihull.”
Source:Organisation“The charity offers women-only spaces and specialist counselling and group support for asylum seekers and refugees.”
Source:Charity Commission
Support is framed as both recovery and cultural change
Alongside direct support, RSVP provides training and awareness activity and explicitly challenges victim-blaming narratives. It may therefore see prevention and public understanding as part of survivor support, rather than as separate work.
Why it matters
This points to a potential role beyond individual casework: RSVP may influence how local institutions and communities respond to sexual violence. The scale and audiences of that influence are not yet clear.
Show evidence
“The charity provides training and awareness.”
Source:Charity Commission“It challenges harmful, outdated narratives and pushes back against victim-blaming.”
Source:Organisation
- The volume of people supported, waiting times and reach across Birmingham and Solihull are unknown.
- There is no evidence about formal referral, police or community partnerships.
- The relationship between RSVP and its sister organisation GINA is not clear.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or impact data showing demand, outcomes, demographics and service capacity.
- Information on referral pathways, institutional partners and the audiences reached through training and awareness work.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
WE SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF ALL GENDERS AND AGES WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE/ABUSE & THEIR FAMILIES. WE OFFER: -INDEPENDENT SUPPORT WHEN CHILD & ADULT SURVIVORS REPORT TO THE POLICE -COUNSELLING-INC WOMEN ONLY SPACE -SPECIALIST COUNSELLING & GROUP SUPPORT FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS/REFUGEES -SOCIAL GROUPS-INC.WOMEN ONLY ONES -COFFEE MORNING -HELPLINE -SELF-HELP INFO -TRAINING/AWARENESS
Charity objects
TO RELIEVE THE TRAUMA AND DISTRESS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED SEXUAL ABUSE AND/OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE, IN PARTICULAR, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, BY THE PROVISION OF SUPPORT, COUNSELLING, INFORMATION AND ADVOCACY TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND/OR ABUSE AND TO THE PARTNERS, FAMILY, FRIENDS OR COLLEAGUES SUPPORTING THEM.