Support For Families
When an individual experiences sexual abuse, rape or assault, the impact is far-reaching.
A survivor’s loved ones and family members may experience their own difficult feelings and challenges within family relationships, in response to learning about the trauma their loved one has experienced. Feelings family members may experience:
- Anger at what has happened and that someone has hurt their loved one.
- Guilt that they were not able to protect their loved one. Parents whose children may have been abused by another family member or friend can often feel like they should have been able to spot what was happening earlier.
- They may feel helpless and overwhelmed by the situation and how to support their loved one through the challenges they are facing.
Why is support for families important?
The Survivors Trust London offers a range of services that help ensure family members get the guidance and support they need to process and heal from what has happened.
Who may benefit from services for family support?
Non-abusing parents/carers
It can feel devastating for any parent, or carer who discovers that their child has been a victim of sexual abuse.
Many parents blame themselves and feel overwhelmed by the situation. We want to remind them they are not alone.
Member agencies of The Survivors Trust London offer a wide range of emotional support, advocacy and specialist parent workshops that can help parents and carers rebuild their confidence and positively move forwards with their lives.
Siblings
Sexual abuse can impact the whole family and the siblings of a child who has been abused may also need to be supported to deal with their complex thoughts and feelings about what has happened.
The Survivors Trust London member Mosac now offers play therapy to any siblings that may have been directly or indirectly affected by sexual abuse.
Partners/spouses
It is quite common for the partner or spouse of a survivor to need emotional support, or information following the sexual abuse or assault of their loved one.
They may be struggling with their own emotions about what has happened, or looking for ways to support the survivor. One-to-one support through helpline services, peer-support, workshops and even counselling is available to offer support to partners/spouses of survivors.
Not only is it important for family members in these situations to get the support they need to cope with their own emotional challenges, an informed, compassionate support system is incredibly valuable to a survivor and can be a great asset as an individual navigates their own journey of healing from sexual trauma.
Members of Survivors Trust London who provide services for families:
- One in four
- ANBU UK
- Mosac
- Respond
- Survivors UK
- Into The Light
