RASA Merseyside

What RASA Merseyside does

RASA Merseyside, formally Rape and Sexual Abuse (RASA) Centre Limited, is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1094462, Company No. 4538556) founded and registered on 28 September 1987 in the wake of the 1986 Diane Sindall case. It provides trauma-informed counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) advocacy, group support, clinical hypnotherapy, and children-and-young-people services to survivors of sexual violence across the Merseyside region, operating from Bootle and Wirral centres plus remote telephone, video, and text channels. Between April 2024 and March 2025 the charity reported 2,847 new referrals, 8,445 counselling hours offered, and 11,558 face-to-face sessions completed, with 100% of clients contacted within 72 hours.

The therapeutic platform is built on BACP-registered counsellors delivering an evidence-based modality stack — Person-Centred Therapy, CBT, EMDR, REWIND, and Clinical Hypnotherapy — wrapped in proprietary trauma-informed response protocols, cultural-competency training, and an anti-racism strategy. Service lines are organised into free core services for survivors (Specialist Counselling, ISVA, Children's Sunflowers Project, Male Service, RADS Clinical Hypnotherapy Groups, Taking Back Control group programme) and a fee-bearing RASA Education arm offering accredited counselling qualifications (Levels 2-6), CPD courses, and workshops (Bystander Training, MHFA England, etc.), plus a Private Counselling Service at £45–£60 per 50-60 minute session.

The business and revenue model is a hybrid non-profit/earned-income structure. The majority of funding is grant-based, sourced from UK government, local authorities (Sefton Council), NHS partnership channels, and charitable donations/fundraising (a current appeal flags a £100,000 FY24-25 budget deficit). Income is supplemented by training fees (£150–£3,000 per course), private counselling fees, and a small WooCommerce/JustGiving-enabled retail and donations operation. Distribution is community-led and referral-driven, with cross-referral pathways through Merseyside Police, SARC, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, NHS primary care, schools, and the Rape Crisis England & Wales network.

Name

RASA Merseyside

Legal name

Rape and Sexual Abuse (RASA) Centre Limited

Website

https://rasamerseyside.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RASA Merseyside is a UK registered charity delivering trauma-informed counselling, ISVA advocacy, and clinical hypnotherapy to survivors of sexual violence across Merseyside, supplemented by an accredited RASA Education training arm and a private counselling service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sexual violence support and trauma counselling services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Sexual violence support
• Trauma counselling services
• ISVA advocacy
• Rape crisis services
• Counselling training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bootle

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: RASA Merseyside relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals and organizations. The organization runs fundraising campaigns including events, Amazon wishlist donations, and JustGiving platform donations. A current funding appeal mentions a £100,000 deficit in their 24-25 budget.
2. Government and Public Funding: As a registered charity providing essential public services, RASA receives government funding. The organization is funded by government sources and has achieved National Service Standards for Sexual Violence Services.
3. Training and Education Services: RASA Education offers accredited counselling qualifications (Level 2-6), CPD courses, and workshops for professional development. Fees range from £150 to £3,000 depending on the course, generating revenue while building the counselling workforce.
4. Private Counselling Service: The organization offers private counselling sessions at £45-60 per 50-60 minute session through their private counselling service, providing an additional revenue stream while serving clients who can pay privately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RASA Merseyside is a registered charity providing free specialist counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) support, clinical hypnotherapy groups (RADS), children's services (The Sunflowers Project), male survivor services, and structured group programmes for adults affected by sexual violence and rape. It also runs a fee-based Private Counselling Service and an accredited Training & Education division offering counselling qualifications and CPD courses. Services are delivered across Bootle, Wirral and Birkenhead centres plus remote channels.

Product overview

RASA Merseyside is a registered charity providing a comprehensive suite of specialist support services for survivors of sexual violence. The core offerings include free Specialist Counselling and ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor) services for adults, alongside the Sunflowers Project for children and young people, Male Service, and Clinical Hypnotherapy Groups (RADS). Supporting these core services are Group Support programmes (Taking Back Control), a Private Counselling Service for fee-based therapy, and a Training & Education division offering accredited counselling qualifications and CPD courses. Additional resources include info booklets, a useful contacts directory, and a Police Disclosure Request service. All services operate from the Bootle and Wirral centres, with remote options available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Specialist Counselling

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,847 new referrals received between April 2024 to March 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rape Crisis England and WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRASA Merseyside is a member of Rape Crisis England and Wales, the national umbrella organization for rape crisis centres. This membership provides access to resources, training, advocacy, and a network of specialist services across England and Wales.
• British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll RASA Merseyside counsellors are registered members of BACP and adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, ensuring professional standards in service delivery.
• Merseyside PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRASA provides ISVA support to survivors who report to police. The organization works with Merseyside Police to support survivors through the criminal justice process and received a Certificate of Commendation in 2018 for this work.
• Safe Place Merseyside (SARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sexual Assault Referral Centre for forensic medical examinations and crisis support for recent survivors. RASA refers clients to SARC for forensic evidence collection and medical care.
• Maria Fogg Family LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaria Fogg Family Law hosts monthly drop-in sessions at the Wirral Centre, providing legal support and advice related to family law matters for survivors.
• Skills and Education Group / Quality Licence SchemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRASA Education courses are endorsed under the Quality Licence Scheme and accredited by Skills and Education Group, providing professional certification for counselling qualifications.
• CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRASA offers CPCAB accredited courses including Level 5 CBT, ensuring professional accreditation for counselling qualifications.
• Mersey Care NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local NHS mental health trust for referrals and crisis support. RASA directs clients to Mersey Care crisis team when urgent mental health support is needed.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Women's Aid: UK-wide federation supporting survivors of domestic abuse, including overlapping client populations with RASA. Comparable in non-profit service delivery and local-association structure, but focused on domestic rather than sexual violence.
• The Survivors Trust: UK-wide umbrella body for specialist sexual violence and abuse services, of which many RASA-equivalent centres are members. Comparable in mission and accreditation role but operates at a national federation level rather than direct service delivery.
• Victim Support: Large national charity providing support to victims of all crime types, including sexual violence. Overlaps with RASA on advocacy, ISVA-type support, and referral pathways, but with a broader scope and substantially larger scale.
• SafeLives: UK charity focused on domestic abuse, with training, accreditation, and frontline service programmes. Comparable to RASA on the training/professional development side (akin to RASA Education) and as a sector-wide standards body.

Direct peers

• NAPAC (National Association for People Abused in Childhood): UK charity providing support for adult survivors of childhood abuse, including a helpline and recovery resources. Overlaps with RASA's trauma-counselling work, particularly its adult-trauma diploma and adult service users.
• SurvivorsUK: UK charity providing specialist support for male survivors of sexual violence, including counselling and ISVA services. Directly overlaps with RASA's Male Service offering while operating on a national footprint.
• Lime Culture: UK specialist organisation providing training, consultancy, and advocacy around sexual violence and harmful practices. Directly comparable to RASA's training and education division, particularly its professional CPD and workforce development work.
• Rape Crisis South London (RASASC): Regional Rape Crisis member centre offering similar counselling, ISVA, and advocacy services for survivors of sexual violence in South London. Directly comparable service model, funding mix, and accreditation framework to RASA Merseyside, differing primarily by geography.
• Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (SARSAS): Regional charity providing specialist sexual violence support services across Somerset and Avon, including counselling, ISVA, and helpline support. Directly comparable to RASA in mission, service mix, and member-of-Rape-Crisis positioning.

Emerging players

• Brook: UK charity providing sexual health and wellbeing services for young people, including sexual violence support pathways. Adjacent to RASA's Children's Service (Sunflowers Project) and shares a young-person focus, but with a primary sexual-health rather than counselling orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rasa_merseyside
• Facebookfacebook.com/RASAMerseyside
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rasamerseyside

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about RASA Merseyside