Ten years ago, four women sat around a coffee table talking about how they could improve services for sexual assault victims in the Bay of Plenty.

'Our vision was to try and provide support to any victim of sexual abuse within the Bay of Plenty from the cradle to grave, a wraparound service,” says Dr Vivienne Hobbs.

Vivienne is one of the women that founded Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support and she's really proud of the organisation and what it has achieved.

What started as a conversation is now a non-profit organisation that employs 145 staff and contractors and offers services in Waikato, Whakatane, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Moana.

'Never in my wildest dreams would it have been this,” says Vivienne.

The organisation's purpose is to support all people and communities affected by sexual harm to wellbeing through healing, education and prevention. All the services provided are free.

Tautoko Mai helps people of any age with whatever they need; from infants and their families to the elderly.

When people reach out to the service, they will always be believed when telling their story, which is really important, says Vivienne.

People may just want information or they can come in for long term care and support, she says.

Everything is led by what the patient wants and needs.

'In this service there's no limitations.”

Tautoko Mai is the only charitable trust established to provide the medical sexual assault assessment and treatment service along-side crisis and long term counselling services.

Chief executive officer Blair Gilbert says having all three services within the one organisation means they can provide a comprehensive service for those in need.

The impact it has had for people over the 10 years is massive says Vivienne. She is the service's clinical leader for paediatrics and has seen hundreds of children and their families.

'I see children every day who've been sexually abused and having somewhere to send them where they can get care is really, really important.”

Often there is sexual assault in the family as well, so Tautoko Mai is able to connect everyone with the help they need, says Vivienne.

'Sometimes you've had whole generations of families engaging with the service, but I've seen people three or four years later and with the support they've been getting, they're in a completely different place.”

The organisation's goal is to end sexual violence, and they provide education and training and deliver the ACC Mates and Dates programme in secondary schools.

Mates and Dates teaches young people about healthy relationships and consent; it is run in most secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty.

Societal change leader Julie Sach says in the coming year there will be further development in Tautoko Mai's education and prevention areas.

'Expanding into education is a natural step in a holistic view of ending sexual harm in our communities.”

Tautoko Mai will also host a Leadership Summit in June aimed at recognising and preventing sexual harm in the workplace.

In the past year the need for Tautoko Mai's sexual harm support services has doubled.

Blair says this is because the issue of sexual harm is more visible and that it is okay and important to ask for help.

Anyone wanting to contact Tautoko Mai can call: 0800 227 233 or visit the service at unit G, 120 Hamilton Street, Tauranga.