Torbay Council announced on 2 February 2026 that survivors of rape and sexual abuse in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham will have access to improved local support services. The changes form part of a move to a more integrated, survivor-led approach intended to make it easier for people to get specialist help within their own communities rather than having to travel to other cities.
The new approach includes the introduction of local hubs offering specialist counselling, advocacy and a trauma-informed referral pathway. This is expected to reduce the need for people in Torquay and the wider Bay to travel to Exeter or Plymouth for long-term specialist trauma support. The hubs are being established as part of the council’s wider Safer Torbay work, linked to the earlier Operation Town Centres safety initiative.
Specialist organisations will be commissioned to deliver care, including FearLess (formerly Splitz) and Devon Rape Crisis. Devon Rape Crisis provides confidential professional support for people aged 13 and over (and has specific provision for young men up to 25), and the new model will include dedicated Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and other commissioned specialists focused on the Torbay area.
The expansion is a key part of Torbay Council’s Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2023–2030. The work is funded through the Home Office’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Transformation Fund in partnership with Devon County Council, alongside local budget allocations, to ensure the council has staff and resources to improve local survivor support.
Cllr Hayley Tranter, Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, Public Health and Inequalities, said the council wants to provide an inclusive service that meets the specific needs of individuals. In the council’s words: “As a Council we offer an inclusive service which is something we wanted to highlight… Whether you are a victim or a survivor, there are different ways you to access local and national services.”
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