HERSANA

HERSANA CIC works to address Gender Based Violence with a focus on support and advocacy for Black Femme survivors (women, girls, and the trans and non-binary communities), nationally, but based in the Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Crawley and Croydon and London areas.

All of our services and projects aim to create safe spaces for and centre Black femme survivors in every narrative – and with you in mind, we have designed a range of services that truly reflect our core values. We understand that every person experiencing abuse requires different types of support. That’s why we offer a wide range of services to meet your needs.

Sussex & Brighton Drop-ins:
We host monthly drop-in sessions at Brighton University and the University of Sussex during term time, alongside a drop-in at Brighton Women's Centre on the last Monday of every month at St Stephens church, Angola Road, East Worthing, BN14 8DU.

Holistic Therapy:
We provide a safe and non-judgmental space for you to explore and understand your experiences, their impact on you, as well as receive therapeutic support around this.

We offer 1-to-1 counselling sessions which aim to create a safe space for you to explore the impact of violence on your life and help you recover from the long term impact of emotional and physical abuse. We run a variety of holistic therapies including groups, well-being classes and 1-to-1 body therapies to help your recovery from trauma. Our emotional support sessions provide some first steps on the road to recovery from violence and abuse.

Independent Advocacy:
If you are looking to understand your rights, options and empower you to use your voice we can help to support this.

An Independent Advocate from HERSANA can provide information, emotional and practical support for Black femmes who have experienced violence or abuse, no matter when it happened. An Independent Advocate will provide informed support around the criminal justice process, advocacy on issues relating to housing, physical, mental and sexual health follow-up, employment and study, and accessing therapy. With your informed knowledge and consent throughout the process they help put the building blocks in place to begin a new life, free from fear.

Wholistic Outreach:
We offer wide-ranging Community Outreach Services that meet femmes experiencing gendered abuse where they are, physically and emotionally, on their journey to safety.

Our Outreach Officers can communicate and work with other agencies to better assist you, as well as signposting you into other services, as and when required. We are able to provide you with information about safety options and services that are available to you. We are also able to support you if you are facing multiple challenges and aftereffects of trauma in your life, which can include significant mental health problems, problematic substance use, potential involvement in the criminal justice system leading to additional barriers in finding and maintaining housing and/or No Recourse to Public Funds, with finding safe accommodation and getting your immigration status regularised.

As part of our ongoing work with Black communities in the UK, we actively forge new partnerships and links with community members, religious and community leaders – many who are men and raise awareness of the harmful effects of all forms of violence against femmes.

Live Chat:
Our Live Chat offers emotional support to Black femmes, aged 16 and over, who have experienced any form of gender-based violence. All of our support services are designed to create safe spaces for survivors. We offer non-judgmental, empathic and non-advisory support. We also offer to support friends, family or partners of survivors.