We offer a specialist Sexual Violence Counselling Service at The Compass Centre for up to 6 months at a time, after which you can take a break for a few months and re-refer if you feel you need more support.

What is counselling?

Counselling provides a safe and confidential space for you to talk to a trained professional about your issues and concerns. Your counsellor will help you explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours so you can develop a better understanding of yourself and of others.

A counsellor will not give you their opinions or advice or prescribe medication. They will help you find your own solutions – whether that’s making effective changes in your life, (re)building supportive and trusting relationships with those around you, or finding other ways of coping and healing – they recognise you’re the expert in your own life, and they provide a safe and non-judgemental space to explore your needs.

If I access counselling, can I still report what happened to me?

Until recently there has been a concern by some that having some forms of counselling might jeopardise the outcomes of prosecutions. This is because there is a fear that the process might in some way affect a survivor’s recall of an incident(s).

However, the guidance (CPS 2022) says:

‘It is paramount that all victims are aware that they can access therapy to ensure that their emotional and psychological needs are met before, during and after any potential trial. There is no requirement to delay therapy on account of an ongoing police investigation or prosecution.’

At The Compass Centre we offer person-centred counselling, delivered within the Rape Crisis Scotland specialist support model and quality-assured service standards. This type of counselling aligns with the types of therapy that are considered appropriate to access at any time, regardless of whether you decide to report.

Person-centred counselling helps you to harness your own self-healing processes and encourages personal growth. It is a non-directive therapy. The therapeutic relationship we have with you is built on confidentiality, privacy and trust, which enables you to explore important issues relating to your safety, emotional responses, and psychological needs, including self-esteem.

We will never pressure you to report what happened to you, but if you do want to explore this, your Counselling Practitioner can arrange for you to meet with one of our Criminal Justice Advocacy Practitioners, or you can refer into our Sexual Crime Advocacy Service for support with next steps in this process.

The Compass Centre will continue to follow the best-practice guidance on the counselling that we offer to survivors, and if any concerns about accessing therapy and engaging with the reporting process do arise, we will discuss this with you so that you are always able to take the most informed choices about your own care.