CAPS Hauraki is celebrating the opening of another office in Thames and the launch of a sexual abuse support service on Monday 2nd November.
 
After over 10 years in the Queen Street building, CAPS will now have two offices in Thames, one in Queen Street and one in Mary Street. The new office will be at 200 Mary Street in the carpark behind the Civic Centre.
 
CAPS Hauraki will also be launching a new Sexual Abuse Support Service which will offer support and information to people in the Hauraki and Thames/Coromandel regions.
 
General Manager Jo Taylor says “with around 1 in 4 people experiencing sexual violence in our region, it is important that people have access to specialist sexual abuse support. We are really excited to be able to provide this new service for the community.”
 
The Sexual Abuse Support Service has come about as a result of the input and lobbying of many local services and individuals who had identified a gap in services for survivors of sexual violence and their families.
 
The new service will offer a 24/7 helpline which will run through the national Rape Crisis phone line 0800 88 33 00. If people call from a landline, they just need to select 2 to get to access CAPS Hauraki helpline staff. If calling from a mobile, select 3 then 2.
 
The service will also offer support for survivors going through Police and Medical systems as well as crisis counselling and support. Text (027 732 7000) and email support (helpline@capshauraki.co.nz ) are also available during business hours.
 
The new premises in Mary Street will offer a range of services including the sexual abuse support services. We are hoping the community will come to the new building to access any support or information about our services.

From mid-October, the Thames / Coromandel and Hauraki regions will have a sexual abuse crisis service.

CAPS Hauraki (CAPS) have recently been awarded a one year grant from the Ministry of Social Development to provide a much needed, locally based Sexual Abuse Crisis Service.

CAPS General Manager, Jo Taylor says “a huge number of local people and agencies have worked for years to raise awareness around the need for this service.  Their hard work has paid off and by mid-October local people living with the impact of sexual violence will be able to get help without having to travel out of the region”.

The service’s main office will be in the central Thames area, and will provide support to both male and females affected by sexual abuse via a 24/7 0800 Helpline, a call out support service working alongside local Police and a weekday crisis counselling and support service for people who have experienced recent or historical sexual abuse.

Rachel Harrison, CAPS Service Leader, will head up the service.  “CAPS and the Hauraki Family Violence Intervention Network have been working to make this service happen for a number of years. It is just awesome that our community will soon have this safe, confidential, specialist service available for anyone needing it”.

CAPS is setting this service up from scratch so are busy recruiting staff.  Check out this week’s Hauraki Herald situations vacant column for more details.

CAPS Hauraki proud to support Safer Summer Coromandel campaign. 
Well done to all involved.