AN organisation based in Okehampton is one of eight to receive new money from the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner to help child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.

Tor Support Services (TSS) will get a share of £140,000 provided by the Ministry of Justice to ensure practical and emotional support to victims. Tor Support Services’ grant will be used to offer further counselling and invest in long term, professional and free support for five to 25 year olds within Okehampton and its surrounding parishes who have experienced, or are considered at risk of having experienced, any form of sexual abuse.

The decision to award funding to these organisations recognises that, having become victims of sexual abuse and/or exploitation, children and young people are facing increased waiting times to access therapeutic services.

PCC Alison Hernandez said: ‘It is my intention that this funding will be used to provide direct support for our most vulnerable children and young people to help them cope and recover from the trauma of their experience.

‘It will help reduce waiting lists and extend the help provided by existing services.’

The process attracted 14 applications from a range of organisations, with bids totalling over £575,000.

Having completed an initial evaluation of applications, con-sultation took place with relevant partners to seek their views and ensure there was no duplication of effort in commissioning similar services.

‘Ideally we would have liked to support all the applications received,’ said Lyn Gooding, partnership officer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), who was responsible for administering the process.

‘All were worthy of investment. However, with limited funding, the decision was made to prioritise those applications that helped address the increase in waiting times.’

Tor Support Services provides professional, confidential coun-selling for children and young people. It does not charge young people and families for this service and has good links with other services and often supports people by advising them on what other support may be available and signposting to other services and resources.

It offers counselling to help alleviate emotional and psychological distress, improve clients’ quality of life, self esteem and happiness, improve relationships with significant others and helps prevent problems becoming more serious and persisting into adulthood, improving young people’s chances of doing well in education, training and work.

Melanie Pike, trustee for TSS, said: ‘The £8,800 grant will mean that TSS can help more children and young people in Okehampton and surrounding parishes who are victims of Child Sexual Abuse by providing free professional counselling. This will keep more young people safe and alleviate emotional and psychological distress by providing early intervention which will help avoid more serious emotional and mental health problems in the future.‘

The other organisations to receive funding were Children’s Society, Devon Rape Crisis, North Devon Against Domestic Abuse, Victim Support, CLEAR (Cornwall), Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre and Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre.