Our Vision & Mission

Rape, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children is endemic within our society. Society, and individuals within it, need to become more aware of the prevalence and impact of such crimes on victims, to take responsibility for the prevention and detection of such abuse and the facilitation of recovery processes.

CIS’ters is a survivor led specialist service. 

The purpose of CIS’ters is to empower female survivors age 18+, who as female children or teens were raped, sexually abused or sexually exploited by a member of their immediate or extended family, in their own personal healing through the mutual affirmation, acceptance, respect and support of other survivors.

Rape and sexual abuse can be committed against anyone regardless of their age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, culture or social status and living with the consequences of rape and sexual abuse during childhood has an impact, though this might not always be evident at the time.

While we focus on the needs of female survivors, age 18+, of sexual abuse during childhood, we fully acknowledge that men and boys also experience rape and sexual abuse and that the impacts on their lives can be similarly devastating and long-lasting.

Our aim is to promote the physical and emotional well-being of our service users and to help empower them (whatever that means to each individual).

In addition to providing services for female survivors of child sexual abuse, CIS’ters also seeks to raise public awareness related to the existence and prevalence of all forms of sexual abuse and sexual violence (across ages and gender) and to promote the development of services that more effectively respond to such-life experiences through empowerment models.

CIS’ters is recognised for delivery of specialist training for workers in other organisations, across all sectors. All events include the voice of the survivor.