RoSA is a leading charity established to provide confidential services for survivors of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse throughout Warwickshire and surrounding areas.
In 1991 a small group of local people identified the need for a totally independent support service for survivors of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse living in and around Rugby. A small steering group was determined to set up a support group for anyone whose life had been affected by sexual abuse. RoSA has always been an inclusive agency and had a far-sighted and unusual approach for that time when many services excluded male survivors and partners from benefiting from support offered to female survivors.
Over the next two years RoSA gathered funds, gained the support of local professionals, and set up a training programme to enable the delivery of support services. In 1993 RoSA’s Constitution was formally accepted by the Management Committee, and RoSA was registered as a non-profit making charity with the Charity Commission.
In the early days volunteer and committee meetings were held round kitchen tables, and counselling rooms were found wherever appropriate agencies would allow counsellors to meet clients free of charge. Pioneering times indeed!
However, those early RoSA volunteers had bigger ideas and set about applying to the National Lottery Charities Board for funding to develop services further. These hopes and dreams were answered in 1997 with a grant from the National Lottery to set up offices and counselling rooms in Rugby Town Centre, to employ staff and develop the structure of the organisation, thereby enabling more volunteer counsellors to be recruited and trained.
Since that time staff, volunteers and trustees have worked tirelessly to establish and develop a service which seeks for a professional and ethical approach, but retaining the spirit and intention of those first founding volunteers. We are proud of the generous and inclusive aims of our original steering group, and are committed to developing the service through continuing survivor involvement at all levels.
Over the years RoSA has grown considerably as a well-established specialist service, providing comprehensive holistic support throughout the county of Warwickshire.
We are highly professional team and adhere to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy.
