Nexus told her family that it was sorry, but funding was not available for its crisis de-escalation and stabilisation services
There has been a call for increased funding for support services for survivors of sexual assault and abuse after a teenage girl was told she could not get help due to her “trauma being too complex”.
The girl and her family recently contacted Nexus, a charity in Northern Ireland that provides support to those who have experienced sexual or domestic abuse, in the hopes of accessing its crisis de-escalation and stabilisation services but was told that due to funding restrictions, this would not be possible.
Nexus has said that it has presented both the Department of Justice and the Department of Health with a proposal for a Crisis De-escalation Pilot in order to provide support to those who are in urgent need.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, the teenager’s mum said that while she was disappointed that her daughter could not access support through Nexus, she believed this showed “a lack of priorities” when it comes to government funding and that the “vital” services provided by organisations like Nexus and Women’s Aid deserve a lot more.
She said: “We reached out to Nexus because we know that the therapy and support that they provide can work as we have had previous experience using their services and know the impact that they can have.
“For families like ours, there is at least some support to hold things together until specialist help arrives, but what about those who don’t have that? When someone finally reaches out for help, only to be told they’re ‘too high risk’ or that the service can’t take them, that rejection can be enough leverage to push a person over the edge. These are the moments where lives are lost, not because help didn’t exist, but because it wasn’t funded enough to reach them in time.
“Nexus once offered 18 counselling sessions to survivors, enough time to build trust, stabilise emotions, and begin real recovery. But after funding cuts, that number has been reduced to 12. Those six lost sessions may not sound like much on paper, but in trauma therapy they represent the heart of the healing process. Survivors are now being timed out of recovery because of budget
“They’re funding the posters and the press conferences, but not the people doing the actual healing.
“While the Justice Department can showcase progress through new VAWG schemes, the Health Department’s silence on trauma recovery leaves victims without the aftercare they need. Prevention without recovery isn’t protection it’s performance.
“We cannot claim to tackle violence against women and girls while defunding the very services that help them survive it, this is imperative.”
Head of Therapeutic Services at Nexus, Susan Ellison, said: “At Nexus NI, our priority is to ensure every person who comes to us receives the most appropriate and safe support for their needs. We take a trauma-informed approach to every referral, which includes screening to determine whether the services we are funded to provide are clinically suitable at that time.
“At present, Nexus NI is funded by the Department of Health to deliver a 12-session model of counselling. This model has proven highly effective for many survivors of sexual trauma and abuse, particularly those who are ready to begin structured trauma recovery work. However, it is not always appropriate for individuals who are in acute crisis, actively suicidal, or who require immediate stabilisation before trauma processing can begin. In these cases, our clinical responsibility is to ensure that clients are directed toward crisis or mental health services that can support their immediate safety and wellbeing.
“Unfortunately, there remains a gap in funding for crisis de-escalation and stabilisation services for people who are not yet ready for trauma therapy but still need specialist support. Nexus NI has been actively advocating for this need and has presented both the Department of Justice and the Department of Health with a proposal for a Crisis De-escalation Pilot. This would provide short-term, trauma-informed support to individuals in crisis and act as a vital bridge into longer-term recovery programmes.
“We deeply understand the frustration and distress experienced by individuals and families who are seeking help and are unable to access it immediately. Our staff share those concerns and are committed to working with funders and government partners to ensure that no one falls through the gaps in the support system.
“Nexus NI remains dedicated to providing high-quality, trauma-informed counselling and advocacy across Northern Ireland and will continue to campaign for the sustainable funding needed to meet the growing demand for specialist trauma support.”
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