When someone close to you has experienced sexual violence, whether it happened a long time ago or more recently, for affected family, friends, colleagues, it can feel frightening and overwhelming.
As people that care deeply about the pain someone close to you is going through, you might feel helpless and worried about doing or saying the wrong thing. This can make what is already a tense and difficult time and situation even more complicated.
We offer a wide range of support options for ‘affected others,’ whether they are parents of children and young people, partners, siblings, extended family, or friends.
We offer the following support services:
Counselling, Psychotherapy and Arts Therapies
Counselling gives you a private and confidential space where you can talk to someone you can trust about your reactions, thoughts, feelings, and experiences. ‘Affected others’ who use our counselling services often say that it helps them to talk to someone outside the situation, that it gives them a fresh perspective and time to address their own feelings helping them to better support the individual who has been abused.
We can provide talking or creative therapies such as art therapy. Face to face services are available for people living in Coventry and Warwickshire and we also offer telephone and online counselling for adults in England and Wales.
Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisors
This service provides independent practical and emotional support, advocacy, advice and information to adults, children and young people who have suffered sexual violence at any time in their lives and we offer support for family and friends who have been affected and need help to support a victim. This includes support in navigating the Criminal Justice system if this is the chosen path.
Children and Young People’s Prevention and Early Intervention Services
We know talking about child sexual exploitation for many parents and carers is a daunting task but it is so important in helping to protect children and young people.
“My child is too young to understand it,”
“I don’t know how to explain it,”
“The topic might frighten my child”
“I don’t know enough about the topic.”
Safeline’s parental training interventions and learning resources address these concerns and empowers you to act. They provide practical tools, resources, and support for ‘affected others’ so that they increase your knowledge about Child sexual exploitation, and allow you to have effective conversations with children about their safety, and speak about prevention to others in their community.
Helpline and Online Services
For those who find it hard to access face to face support, or prefer to access it remotely, we offer the following services:
Warwickshire Helpline: Our Helpline for adults and children living in Warwickshire provides a safe and confidential space for ‘affected others’ to talk. Trained staff provide emotional support, advice, and information. Contact 0808 800 5008
National Male Survivor Helpline and Online Support Service: This service supports adults and children who identify as male and those who support them living in England and Wales. It provides ‘affected others’ of male survivors with emotional support, information and advice and we can help signpost you to local services in your area. Phone 0808 800 5005, Text Service 07860 065187, live chat service via our website or Email at support@safeline.org.uk
If you need any support following the abuse of a loved one, you can find information about our specialist support services on the Get Help section of this website or you can contact us to talk confidentially.
National Male Survivor Helpline and Online Support Service: This service supports adults and children who identify as male and those who support them living in England and Wales. It provides ‘affected others’ of male survivors with emotional support, information and advice and we can help signpost you to local services in your area. Phone 0808 800 5005, Text Service 07860 065187, live chat service via our website or Email at support@safeline.org.uk
If you need any support following the sexual violence of a survivor you can find information about our specialist support services on the Get Help section of this website or you can contact us to talk confidentially.
