**NEW**Survivor workshop 5th or 7th April 2022 online
What is this about?
We recently completed a three-year research project: the ‘MiMoS’ study. The National Institute for Health Research commissioned the study to find out how SARCs help people who have experienced sexual assault but who may also have mental health and/or drug/alcohol issues. We asked people who had attended SARCs to fill in a questionnaire and take part in interviews. We wanted to learn about the services they were offered and how satisfied they were with those services. We have written a report about what factors help SARCs to provide mental health and substance use support and are planning how best to communicate the findings to a broader audience. We really want people to benefit from the results of our study, and for it to have a real impact on improving policy and practice.
What is the purpose of the workshop?
We are inviting people with experience of, or opinions about, SARCs to attend a workshop to talk through what we found out from the study.
Just to be clear, this is not part of the study and we are not collecting any data from you including any personal information (apart from your email to send you the link to the workshop). Tell me more about the workshop
Liz Hughes and Sarah Kendal will host the one hour workshop virtually on Teams. You can access Teams free via an app or online. Liz was the study’s lead researcher and Sarah led the study’s survivor involvement activities. We are both mental health nurses and academics.
The workshop format is:
- Informal introductions and ground rules for the meeting
- Summary of the main findings of the MIMOS study (powerpoint slides), followed by any questions you may have
- Facilitated discussion:
- What are the most significant findings from your point of view?
- In your opinion, why are these findings important and who needs to know about them?
- What ideas do you have about how we use and share these findings?
We are very keen to have involvement from all sorts of people who may have views on SARCs.
Feeling Safe and In Control
- Your safety and comfort are our priority. We know it is important to be clear about content so that people can judge for themselves whether taking part in the workshop is the right thing for them. Although our study is mainly about services and how they are provided, the workshop discussion is likely to cover the following topics: mental health crisis, intimate partner violence, contact with the police, forensic examination following a sexual assault, contact with mental health and substance use services.
- People are under no obligation to attend, turn up on the day, and free to leave without explanation at any point. Your video is not required to be on to take part.
- We will be able to offer anyone who comes along a follow-up chat if needed and will send an email or text after the workshop to offer this. Everyone will be sent the link to the MIMOS study website, where a range of support services is listed.
- You can find out more about us and the study at our website: https://mimosstudy.org.uk/ On the “where to get help tab” you will find a useful list of national support agencies relevant for sexual violence.
Payment
We can pay all attendees a £20 e-voucher as a thank you for attending. This will be emailed straightaway after the event has ended. Everyone who turns up (even if just for a little while) will be eligible for a voucher.
When and where is the workshop?
It will take place online, via TEAMS. You can opt for either Tuesday 5th April, 7pm, or Thursday 7th April at 7pm 2022
How do I join?
Please email Liz Hughes at e.c.hughes@leeds.ac.uk and she will add you to the attendance link and will send you a link to the meeting. If you want to talk about this at anytime, Liz is available – just email and she will get back to you as soon as possible.
Papers and other outputs
Link to the funder page summary https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/16/117/03
This is the first paper published from our study based on a systematic review of how mental health and substance use needs are identified and managed within Sexual Assault Services. https://mimosstudy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2020/07/MIMOS-systematic-review.pdf
Here is the link to PROSPERO protocol for systematic review https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=119706
Link to paper on the Documentary Analysis https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/179613/