Survivor Forum
Our Survivor Forum is made up of women who want to use their knowledge and experience to improve education and best practice around domestic abuse, and to develop and improve services and responses for other survivors.
We believe that survivors are experts by experience. By collaborating and listening to their stories we are developing a deeper understanding of the impact of domestic abuse and what is important to enable recovery. This allows us to focus on areas of highest need, leading to more meaningful support and a greater long-term positive impact.
"Survivor Forum is a chance for my voice to be heard, and for me to have an impact towards the safety of other women."
Who is the Survivor Forum for?
The Survivor Forum is a group for women who would like to use their experiences of domestic abuse, and the knowledge that they’ve gained, to improve services in our community for current and future victims of domestic abuse.
Your role within the Survivor Forum can fit around your life, with commitment levels being flexible. By joining as a member, you are not committing yourself to weekly or monthly meetings, but rather to be involved with projects that interest you, suit your schedule and that suit you best. We offer projects that are in-person, online and over the phone.
We currently have 27 members of the Survivor Forum, made up of women who want to use their journey to have a positive impact on other women going through similar experiences.
What projects does the Survivor Forum get involved with?
As part of the Survivor Forum, you could represent the voice of fellow survivors through:
- Focus groups with the Rising Sun team about our services, programmes and work
- Focus groups within the community, such as GP’s, Kent Police, Healthcare providers and more
- Talking to University students about the importance of domestic abuse in their future professions
- Meetings with funders who are supporting, or are looking to support Rising Sun
- Being involved with recruitment interviews for Rising Sun
- Involvement in the Kent & Medway Domestic Abuse Strategy
- Providing feedback and case studies about support provided by Rising Sun
- Attending domestic abuse panels
- Interviews to media outlets for articles about domestic abuse
- Completing online questionnaires linking to domestic abuse and specialist services
How do I get involved?
If you would like to be part of the Survivor Forum, or want to find out more, our Survivor Forum Co-ordinator will be more then happy to have a chat
Frequently Asked Questions
It was recognised that too often, services for victims and survivors of domestic abuse are developed and maintained by those without personal experience of domestic abuse. This can result in projects that lack impact to those who need them.
To tackle this, we set up the Survivor Forum to keep the survivors voice at the heart of services for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. It is made up of survivors that want to use their knowledge and expertise to improve understanding and provision within services in our community.
No, there are no regular meetings for the Survivor Forum. Your involvement in the forum is made up of ad-hoc opportunities to take part in as you wish, to represent the voice of the survivor.
We understand that everyone’s lives are different, and that your commitments and availability can change. It’s therefore a flexible space for your to partake as fits with your life.
Yes! Members of the Survivor Forum are fully supported by Natasha, our Survivor Forum Co-ordinator.
Natasha co-ordinates all of the projects that the Survivor Forum are involved in, and learns the type of projects and opportunities that each survivor wants to be involved with. Natasha is there to support you as you partake in projects, listen to you and guide you through your Survivor Forum experiences.
Yes! The Survivor Forum gets involved in lots of projects, including in-person, online and via the phone. If you have specific requirements, or would only like to partake in online projects, just let Natasha know and she will be more than happy to accommodate this.
No! The Survivor Forum is a super flexible way to support current and future survivors of domestic abuse. We understand that everyone’s availability is different, and you can therefore be involved with as many or as little of the projects as you would like.
Natasha, our Survivor Forum Co-Ordinator is always happy to hear the word no!
The Survivor Forum isn’t a space for receiving ongoing domestic abuse support. Most commonly, women join the Survivor Forum after they have completed their journey of support and are living safely.
If you would like to receive support from Rising Sun, please refer yourself into service.