A LEADING Cornwall councillor recently visited Harbour Housing ahead of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week (February 2 to February 8) to highlight the work taking place across Cornwall to address sexual and domestic abuse and improve support for survivors.

The visit focused on the strong links between domestic abuse, sexual violence, homelessness, public health and community safety, and the importance of a coordinated, system-wide response to reducing harm and helping women rebuild their lives safely.

The visit of Councillor Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for community safety and public health, formed part of wider efforts by Cornwall Council to raise awareness of the issue and showcase effective local practice ahead of the national awareness week.

During a private visit to one of Harbour Housing’s women-only commissioned safe accommodation services, Councillor Marrington met with frontline staff to learn more about trauma-informed approaches, safeguarding arrangements and the realities of supporting women who have experienced abuse while also facing complex barriers to accessing help, including mental health needs and past trauma.

The visit also highlighted the importance of partnership working across housing, health and community safety services. As part of the programme, Cllr Marrington observed a staff reflective practice and clinical supervision session.

The session demonstrated how housing providers and community mental health services are working together in Cornwall to support staff who regularly hear and hold traumatic disclosures, helping them process experiences, maintain boundaries and sustain professional resilience.

Harbour Housing explained that while disclosure is a vital step in recovery for survivors of abuse, it can place a significant emotional demand on the staff supporting them. Regular clinical supervision and reflective practice were highlighted as essential tools for protecting staff wellbeing, preventing burnout and ensuring that services remain safe, compassionate and effective over the long term.

National evidence shows that many women make multiple attempts to leave abusive situations before doing so safely and permanently. Councillor Marrington acknowledged that this reality underlines the importance of patience, consistency and non-judgemental support, and the need for services that are flexible enough to respond to individual circumstances rather than imposing rigid time limits on recovery.

Harbour Housing is among the first supported accommodation providers in the country to adopt a high-tolerance, trauma-informed approach for women affected by domestic abuse who also face additional complex needs. This approach has contributed to Cornwall’s growing reputation for progressive, survivor-centred practice and reflects the county’s commitment to tackling abuse through prevention, early intervention and long-term support.

Kate Moss, head of specialist support services at Harbour Housing, said : “By taking a lessons-learnt approach rather than focusing on blame, we invested over £100,000 in targeted property and environmental improvements, alongside strengthened, person-centred support through our in-house counselling team.

“Our high-tolerance approach recognises healing doesn’t happen on a timetable. Creating safe, flexible environments and staying alongside women for as long as it is safe and possible to do so is central to our work and to Cornwall’s wider response to domestic and sexual abuse.”