Lord Advocate visits emotional support service Safe Harbour

She met with Duncan Shaw, chief executive officer, and clients who have benefited from accessing the innovative therapy offered by Safe Harbour and heard first-hand how the work at Safe Harbour aims to help people deal with challenging & complex issues they may face. 

Ms Bain said: “Visits such as today’s aid our understanding of the potential role of alternative therapy in helping people who have had contact with the criminal justice system. I welcome the opportunity to hear from clients with experience of crime and trauma who have been brave enough to share how talking therapy has made a difference to them. It has been invaluable to meet with them and listen to their views this morning.” 

Victims deserve the best possible support to cope and recover from the effects of crime. Organisations such as Safe Harbour, which offer access to therapy services, can play an important part in the local community.”  

Mr Shaw said: “It has been a tremendous pleasure to welcome the Lord Advocate to Safe Harbour. At Safe Harbour, we are pioneering an approach to trauma which is seeing results for those who have struggled to find respite from emotional challenges. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share some of the positive transformations which clients have shared with the Lord Advocate at today’s visit.”  

“Safe Harbour’s innovative programme, which is unique to Inverclyde, has achieved great success despite limited resources. The programme’s emotional deconstruct-reconstruct therapeutic process enables clients to talk about the darkest of human issues, most often for the first time. This sometimes includes significant disclosures of sexual, physical or mental abuse.

“Without the support of the National Lottery, as well as other high-profile philanthropists and generous donors, Safe Harbour would not exist.”