Introducing Calan DVS’ New Sexual Violence Service Development Manager
We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Moira Hutton, the new Sexual Violence Service Development Manager at Calan DVS.
Here’s what Moira says about her career to date and the exciting opportunities presented by this new role:
“I began my career in the domestic and sexual abuse sector sixteen years ago as a refuge volunteer following a lightbulb moment at Liverpool University when I discovered feminism. Everything started to make sense after that! I went on to do a Masters in Gender Studies in Manchester whilst working at a women’s refuge and the local domestic abuse helpline where I supported hundreds of women seeking support and validation about the abuse they were experiencing in their relationships. After a move to Bristol, I continued to work in the sector on the National Domestic Violence Helpline and then again in a women’s refuge. I’ve always loved supporting survivors of abuse and finding ways to focus their support on the incredible strength and resilience they show from surviving such horrific situations.
“I am a qualified IDVA and advanced trained ISVA, and from 2014-2021 I developed an IDVSA service specifically for street sex workers in Bristol. I spent those seven years supporting incredible women who were in unimaginably difficult situations and trapped in the cycle of addiction, sex work and violence. I moved on to manage the service and am an accredited Domestic Abuse Service Manager through SafeLives. As a manager I enjoyed shifting my focus onto staff wellbeing and how that could be done in a trauma informed way.
“I’m really excited to be working at Calan and to have the chance to work with experts, survivors and staff to develop a trauma informed sexual violence service from the beginning. It’s a unique opportunity to create an essential service in an organisation that sees the diverse needs of all survivors of abuse. I have learnt that domestic and sexual violence doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone from all walks of life, so I believe that diversity in service provision is crucial for the future of domestic abuse services.”
We will be sharing more news and information about developments in our sexual violence services over the coming months.