The Student Sexual Violence Consultancy (SSVC) group is a new initiative, set up by the ARU Sexual Violence Team. The SSVC group was created to ensure student voices are a key part of systemic change in relation to ARU’s response to sexual violence.
The SSVCs are passionate students who care about improving the lives for student survivors. They provide valued (and much needed) consultancy on changes to policies, procedures, and service changes.
They are also working on their own projects, such as campaigns and podcasts, to help raise awareness of the support and report options at ARU.
“To make a community where survivors are listened to respected and supported.”
“I want survivors to be able to make suggestions that the university acts on to the best of its ability.”
“To raise more awareness about sexual violence, reduce the stigma and stereotypes and makes this less of a taboo topic to talk about! I’m excited about all the amazing work we are going to make as a team and the positive changes this is going to make.”
It was not your fault,
It was not your fault,
It was not your fault.
A sentence that maybe you haven’t heard enough, but please know that
It was not your fault
You did nothing to deserve the pain that they caused you, the trauma that they left you
And it was not your fault
The stereotypes, they’re irrelevant, the unasked for opinions, they don’t matter
What matters is that you know that
This was not your fault
I can’t tell you that this is going to be the easiest journey in recovery, but I can tell you this
It was not your fault
This pain right now will pass, it will not last forever
In time you will heal and learn to recover from the trauma that was unasked for
I promise you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you will get there
But if you take anything from this, let it be that
Your voice is heard, you are understood, you are believed and you are loved
You are cared for and you are important in this world
And this... was not your fault
"Every 7 years the cells in your entire body will be destroyed and replaced with new cells. One day you will have a whole body that they have never touched."
"If you feel like you’re losing everything, remember that trees lose their leaves every year, and still they stand tall waiting for the better days to come."