If you are in danger, please dial 999 immediately or 101 in a non-emergency.  If you ring 999 but can’t talk, make sure the Police know you are there by coughing or tapping the handset, or by dialling 55.  Alternatively you can visit https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/ to find a safe place to stay.

First Light is independent of any agency so you do not have to worry about the Police or any other organisation or person (including your loved ones) finding out about your abuse or assault.  Neither do you have to have first reported to the Police to access our services.  Our staff will treat anything you say to them in confidence.  There are a number of circumstances when the law requires us to share information without your consent.  Wherever possible, we will inform you when we do.

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Domestic Abuse Service

Helpline: 0300 777 4777   Professionals’ Enquiry Line : 01872 241 711

Secure Email: reach.support@firstlight.cjsm.net
Non-secure Email: reach.support@firstlight.org.uk

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Sexual Violence and Assault Service

Helpline: 01872 272 059

Secure Email: willow.support@firstlight.cjsm.net
Non-secure Email: willow.support@firstlight.org.uk

Plymouth
Sexual Violence and Assault Service

Helpline: 03458 121212

Secure Email: cove.support@firstlight.cjsm.net
Non-secure Email: cove.support@firstlight.org.uk

Plymouth
Sexual Violence Therapy and Counselling Service

Helpline: 03458 121212

Secure Email: cove.support@firstlight.cjsm.net
Non-secure Email: cove.support@firstlight.org.uk

Domestic Abuse Support Service

Our Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Domestic Abuse Service is provided weekdays 0900-1700, is free of charge and accessible to all females and males over the age of 16 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

We run the county’s single point of contact for Domestic Abuse called the Risk Evaluation And Coordination Hub, commonly known as REACH.  There’s a number of ways to contact REACH including by telephone, email and our referral form.

The Core Function of REACH:

• Information – We will know what DA specific and linked services are available in the county and we will be able to support you to work out the most relevant service/s to meet you and/or your children’s needs
• Advice & Signposting – We will listen to your issues and work with you to identify the best and most safe option for you and your family.
• Risk Assessment – It is important to fully understand the risks that you are facing so that we can help you access the safest and most protective measures available. The Safe Lives DASH Risk checklist is the most common questionnaire used by professionals to work out your level of risk and then to guide us in planning with you your individualised Safety and Support Plan.
• Advice for professionals – Support will be offered to all professionals who want to discuss concerns about a case and the risk assessment process. This will apply to general enquires and to all referrals. This will also help to identify which cases should be referred to Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and what other support might be required, e.g. referral to MARAC IDVA.
• Referrals to other Agencies / Services – On the basis of the risk assessment and your needs we will help you to access the most relevant agency or service to provide you with support for the future.

Our Independent Domestic Violence Advisory (IDVA) service has qualified and specialist advisers who provide a free and confidential service to people who are at a high risk of harm from their intimate partners, ex-partners or family members, with the priority of increasing safety for these people and their children. We act as a person’s primary point of contact and we work with them from the point of crisis where we are able to assess the level of risk, develop safety procedures and discuss a wide range of suitable response options. The support that we offer is designed to be a short and medium-term to reduce the risk of further domestic abuse and the effects it may cause.

Our expert Domestic Abuse staff are based in the community across Cornwall, at REACH and in the Special Domestic Violence Courts in Truro and Bodmin. Back to top

Sexual Violence and Assault Support Services

Our adult and child rape and sexual assault support service is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and everyday of the year.  It is your choice whether you wish to report and involve the Police.  It is free of charge and accessible to women, men and children in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Plymouth and the surrounding area.  We can support you with a recent or historic rape or sexual assault, including immediate crisis support, practical and emotional support through criminal investigations and the court trial process.

We have specialist Sexual Violence support staff for adults and children based in the community across Cornwall and Plymouth, as well as in our Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in Truro (known as the Willow Centre) and Plymouth (known as the Cove).  We can offer referrals to ours and other counselling services, including pre-trial counselling.

There’s a number of ways to contact our services including telephone, email and the referral form. Back to top

Therapy and Counselling Services

Our Sexual Violence Therapy and Counselling service is provided weekdays 0900-1700, is free of charge and accessible to women, men and girls and boys.  These services are provided from the Millfields (PL1 3JB) in central Plymouth.  There’s a number of ways to contact our counselling service including telephone, email and our referral form.

For adults affected by Sexual Violence or Assault, we can support you with solution and future-focused counselling within 12 months of completion of a trial, or within 12 months of the rape or sexual assault having taken place. If the incident occurred outside of this time window, due to our funding situation, we are unable to provide counselling.

For children affected by sexual violence or assault, we offer a BBC Children in Need funded Art Therapy Service for 5-18 year olds and talking therapy for older children.  The services aim to help children and young people gain a better self image, improve relationships with their family/friends and have better resilience to move beyond abuse. Back to top