Family Action PARCS

Family Action PARCS Portsmouth Abuse & R**e Counselling Service (PARCS)

We are incredibly proud of the role the PARCS helpline has played over the past 45 years.For many survivors it has been ...
25/03/2026

We are incredibly proud of the role the PARCS helpline has played over the past 45 years.

For many survivors it has been a first step, a place to be heard, believed and supported.

Due to a lack of continued funding, our helpline will now be closing at the end of March. Sadly, this reflects the wider funding challenges facing many specialist services supporting survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse.

While this chapter is coming to an end, PARCS will continue to provide specialist counselling and support for survivors across Portsmouth and South East Hampshire.

Helpline support is still available through the following national services;

R**e Crisis England and Wales 0080 500 2222

National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247

We want to thank everyone who has supported, staffed and used the helpline over the years. Its impact has been significant and lasting.

Today is Child Exploitation Awareness Day, a time to raise awareness of a form of abuse that is often hidden, misunderst...
18/03/2026

Today is Child Exploitation Awareness Day, a time to raise awareness of a form of abuse that is often hidden, misunderstood, and overlooked.

Child exploitation involves the manipulation or coercion of children and young people. It can happen online or offline, and it can affect any child, in any community.

Too often, children experiencing exploitation are seen through the lens of behaviour rather than harm. But children cannot consent to their exploitation, and they are never to blame.

This awareness day reminds us that safeguarding is not the responsibility of one service or one professional, it is everyone’s responsibility.

We all have a role to:
▪️ Think about what we see and challenge assumptions
▪️ Spot the signs of exploitation
▪️ Speak out and act on concerns

At PARCS, we stand with children and young people affected by exploitation, and with the professionals and communities working to protect them. We stand with the adults who experienced children sexual exploitation are who are living with the impacts.

Awareness is only the first step, meaningful action must follow.

💜

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week.Neurodiversity recognises that there is no single “right” way for brains to...
17/03/2026

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week.

Neurodiversity recognises that there is no single “right” way for brains to work. Different ways of thinking, processing and experiencing the world are part of human diversity, not something to be fixed.

Research shows that neurodivergent people are at a higher risk of experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence. Barriers to being believed, understood or supported can make it harder to access support.

Some research suggests that in particular, autistic people are up to 3 times more likely to experience sexual violence than non-autistic people (National Autistic Society), and that over 40% of autistic women have experienced sexual violence (University of Cambridge).

For many, neurodivergence also intersects with trauma and mental health in ways that are often misunderstood.

Understanding neurodiversity also means recognising these structural barriers, not just individual experiences.

Celebration matters. So does understanding.

Creating spaces that are responsive, flexible and inclusive means recognising these realities and ensuring support is accessible, informed and inclusive.

Happy Mother’s Day to those celebrating today.We also recognise that Mother’s Day can bring many different emotions.Toda...
15/03/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to those celebrating today.

We also recognise that Mother’s Day can bring many different emotions.

Today we hold space for those who cannot be mothers, those who have lost mothers or children, those navigating complex family relationships, and those who have had to mother themselves.

However today feels for you, your experience is valid.

We also recognise the strength of those who are mothering while navigating the impact of trauma or abuse.

The documentary Inside the Manosphere featuring Louis Theroux explores a growing online culture where misogyny, rigid ge...
13/03/2026

The documentary Inside the Manosphere featuring Louis Theroux explores a growing online culture where misogyny, rigid gender roles and extreme ideas about masculinity are promoted to young men and boys.

These narratives are not harmless. They shape how people understand gender, relationships and power, often reinforcing the idea that dominance and control are part of masculinity.

It does a strong job of showing the complex drivers behind this rise, isolation, identity struggles, and the appeal of rigid gender roles but it doesn’t fully show the real-world impact on women, girls, and people of marginalised genders. Survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse experience and live with these consequences of these attitudes every day.

Online spaces that normalise misogyny also reinforce wider systems of oppression that maintain gender inequality and harm women, girls and people of marginalised genders.

Ending violence against women and girls means challenging the online cultures, social norms and systems that allow harmful ideas about gender and power to persist.

Watch the documentary and reflect on how online spaces influence ideas about gender. Start conversations about real masculinity and equitable relationships in your community.



Image adapted from promotional material for Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (Netflix).

Happy International Women’s Day 💜Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women and girls everyw...
08/03/2026

Happy International Women’s Day 💜

Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women and girls everywhere. From speaking up and leading change, to supporting each other and creating communities, women’s courage and determination inspire us all.

Let’s take a moment to honour every woman and girl, recognise their voices, and continue working toward a world where everyone is safe, respected, and supported. 💜

This weekend marks the 115th International Women’s Day. Some may ask why we still need International Women’s Day.The tru...
06/03/2026

This weekend marks the 115th International Women’s Day. Some may ask why we still need International Women’s Day.

The truth is, violence against women and girls remains far too common. From sexual violence and domestic abuse to systemic inequalities, too many lives are affected every day. Behind every statistic are real people, real harm and long journeys of healing and integration.

This feels particularly important. Violence against women and girls is headline news again, from The Epstein Files, to worrying trends in online deepfake abuse, to attacks on reproductive rights, our society continues to fail too many. This week, courts in Hampshire convicted boys as young as 13 of ra**ng girls aged 14 and 15, including filming parts of the assaults, highlighting how pervasive and disturbing these crimes remain.

For 45 years, Family Action PARCS has supported people affected by sexual violence, childhood sexual abuse, and domestic abuse across Portsmouth and South East Hampshire, long before many recognised these issues publicly. Five years ago, we joined Family Action , strengthening our work while continuing to walk alongside survivors in their healing journey.

Every day, we witness the courage it takes to speak up, to seek support, and to begin healing. Behind every statistic are real lives, deep harm, and long journeys of resilience.

This weekend, and every day, we stand with survivors, challenge the systems that allow violence to persist, and work toward a world where women and girls are safe, respected and supported. 💜

We’ve been a little quiet on here recently, but the work hasn’t stopped.We are a small team, and while our online presen...
05/03/2026

We’ve been a little quiet on here recently, but the work hasn’t stopped.

We are a small team, and while our online presence may be quieter, and may continue to be, our work continues every day behind the scenes.

Our passion to support survivors, raise awareness, and disrupt the systems that uphold sexual violence and domestic abuse remains unwavering.

We’re here.

Yesterday saw the launch of the new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.At PARCS, we welcome several import...
19/12/2025

Yesterday saw the launch of the new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.

At PARCS, we welcome several important elements within it:
• A clear recognition of the need for long-term, specialist support for survivors
• An emphasis on a whole-society approach to tackling misogyny
• The explicit naming of harms that are too often avoided or softened, including femicide

Naming these realities matters. Language shapes action, and acknowledgement is a vital first step.

What remains to be seen is whether the ambition of this strategy will be matched by sustained, adequate funding and long-term commitment. Specialist services already know what works. Survivors already know what they need. The question is whether the infrastructure will be resourced to meet that need, not just in crisis moments but over years.

Ending violence against women and girls requires more than vision.
It requires investment, accountability, and the courage to fund prevention, early intervention, and long-term recovery.

We will continue to engage with this strategy, advocate for survivors, and push for the resources needed to turn intention into meaningful change.

As we move through the festive season, we want to share a reminder that came from one of our group facilitators, words t...
19/12/2025

As we move through the festive season, we want to share a reminder that came from one of our group facilitators, words that feel especially important at this time of year;

'Always remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger then you seem and smarter than you think.'

For many survivors, December can bring mixed emotions. This message isn't about pushing through or pretending things are easy, its about gently acknowledging the strength it takes just to keep going, in whatever way feels right for you.

If today is quiet, heavy, joyful, complicated or all of the above, your not doing it wrong. You are already doing enough.

Holding this reminder with care, for survivor and for everyone supporting them this season.

As we move through December, I want to take a moment to acknowledge something that is often overlooked at this time of y...
17/12/2025

As we move through December, I want to take a moment to acknowledge something that is often overlooked at this time of year.

For many survivors, crowds, noise, social expectations and disruption to routine can feel overwhelming. December can bring pressure to “push through” discomfort but boundaries don’t disappear just because it’s festive.

At PARCS, we want to gently remind survivors, supporters and professionals alike: your boundaries matter, even in December. Especially in December!

Choosing rest, quiet, space or saying no is not disengagement. It is care.
Care doesn’t need to stop for the holidays.
Care is part of the season.

As a service, we see daily how powerful it is when people are given permission to move at their own pace, honour their needs and prioritise safety, emotionally as well as physically.

Wherever you are this December, I hope you’re able to take moments of gentleness for yourself and to offer the same to others.

Address

Portsmouth

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+442392669513

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