SERICC background
SERICC was formed in 1981 after a small group of determined and committed women set up an feminist activist group in Thurrock that went on to open a telephone helpline. For many years SERICC was run by volunteers, providing support for women and girls. We registered as a charity on 17th January 1983.
After working as a collective, in 1986 SERICC were able to appoint its first member of staff and our services started to grow and develop to provide telephone and face to face support. SERICC’s work and achievements became increasingly recognised and we won our first award in 2003 when we were awarded the Emma Humphries Memorial Prize.
SERICC has been through name changes from East Kent and Thurrock Rape Crisis Helpline through South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre, to SERICC to be more reflective of our services and the areas we offer dedicated support. In December 2019 we reconstituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and merged the charities in July 2020.
SERICC supports anyone who is affected by any form of sexual violence and abuse, particularly, but not limited, to women and girls and the community in Essex and the surrounding areas within East Anglia.
Since our early beginings in 1981, SERICC has steadily grown, increasing its income, staff, reputation and extending the range of services we provide for victims and survivors. We are committed to providing a range of appropriate and effective services to support victims and survivors in their recovery.
Our service delivery has increased and grown since those early days, offering emotional support and information, and acting as a gateway into all the other services we now offer including: an Independent Sexual Violence Accredited Adviser (ISVAA) service for victims and survivors in the criminal justice system since 2005, training and raising awareness in the community and in 2016 became the pioneer introducing the first sexual violence and abuse triage hub with First Contact Sexual Violence Navigators and Early Intervention.
SERICC has been at the forefront of developing new services which support survivors in their recovery and enabling survivors to have a voice. We raise awareness to promote greater public understanding of the nature, context, and impact of sexual violence and abuse. To ensure that the running of our organisation is effective, values driven and that the future security and sustainability of the organisation is based on independently generated income as well as sources of public sector funding.