CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs.

CARA works with almost 2000 victims and survivors of all ages and all genders from across mid and north Essex each year, providing a range of high quality, specialist services.

What your donation means to CARA

A donation of £5 could enable us to send specialist Self-Care packs to five victims of sexual violence.

A donation of £10 could buy toys and other equipment to be used in Play Therapy sessions for victims of child sexual abuse aged 3-12.

A donation of £30 could fund a one-to-one therapy session for a young person who has been the victim of sexual violence or child sexual abuse.

A donation of £50 could help us to support a victim of sexual violence in finding a safe home - away from where the sexual violence took place and triggering memories.

A donation of £200 could help us run a group for survivors of sexual violence, helping them to make connections with other survivors and learn self-care techniques.

A donation of £500 could support a full course of specialist counselling for a victim of sexual violence or child sexual abuse, helping them to develop coping strategies and enabling them to move forwards with their lives.

My story

I am writing this just before I leave for my CARA-funded counselling. Unfortunately, I am not ready to tell my story just yet but I needed a way of giving back and saying thank you to the most incredible group of angels who have helped me beyond words at my darkest hour.

So, I'm jumping out of a plane for them. And it would mean the world to me if you could donate anything you can (even just £1) to help me say thank you to this team of incredible women who go out of their way every single day to do whatever they can to make you see the light in the darkness. You never think that you would rely so much on a charity, especially one like CARA, until you need it the very most.

Reporting something to the police really does feel like jumping out of a plane, so I thought it was only right to do it for real. Because CARA really are my parachute!