SURVIVORS of sexual violence are being invited to share their views to help enhance services across Merseyside.

A review into sexual violence has been commissioned by deputy police commissioners Cllr Emily Spurrell in partnership with NHS England to examine the nature of sexual violence in the region, map the services which are available to support victims and make sure that they easily accessible.

Carried out by Liverpool John Moores University’s (LJMU) Public Health Institute, the review is looking to hear from survivors about their journey including how they were treated by the criminal justice system.

Cllr Spurrell said: "This survey is a crucial part of our inquiry and I would urge anyone, both men and women, who have experienced any form of sexual violence who feels strong enough to take part to please share their views and experiences with us.

“We want to hear about your journey, whether you reported it to the police or not, and the path you took to accessing support to see how that process is working and whether it is working effectively. We know there is room for improvement. At the moment, far too many people do not get the support they need and deserve.

“Sadly, sexual violence remains far too prevalent in our society.

"Through this review we hope to better understand the nature and extent of sexual violence in our region and establish a baseline from which we can monitor and assess the work we do in future years.

"It has the potential to help make a real difference in the lives of victims and survivors and I hope many people will take part in this survey.

"By doing so, you will be playing your part in helping to improve the experience of other victims of sexual violence in the future.”

The survey is completely anonymous and confidential.

To take part visit https://ljmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/sexual-violence-survey

The research is expected to end in April 2019.