Who Is Helping Survivors?
Helping Survivors’s goal is to help people who have been impacted by sexual assault and abuse get the resources and assistance they need and deserve.
We do this by providing:
- Educational content reviewed by a diverse group of experts
- Legal resources and referrals for survivors
- First-hand commentary from survivors and professionals who work with survivors
- Connections to organizations focused on survivor healing
The resources we provide are intended for individuals who have experienced sexual assault or abuse who are seeking support or for those who are seeking to learn about how to best help survivors of sexual violence.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over half of women and nearly 1 in 3 men have experienced some form of sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes, with many experiencing this abuse as children and young adults.
Survivors of sexual violence may have long-lasting injuries and impacts that extend far beyond physical consequences; unfortunately, there are many emotional and psychological impacts that victims sexual assault and abuse can experience. Healing from these experiences takes time and patience, but it is possible to regain a sense of control, rebuild self-worth, and build an even more beautiful and grounded life.
We believe you and we’re here to support you.
Helping Survivors recognizes that healing from sexual assault and abuse is often a complex, multi-dimensional journey. Our team advocates for survivors by providing the educational resources, tools and assistance needed for them to work through their experiences to reclaim a sense of peace. Our team includes healthcare providers, legal professionals, experienced advocates, survivors, and allies to survivors.
Whether you have just experienced sexual abuse or assault or the harm happened decades ago, we are here to support you and guide you to the available resources and help you understand your legal, financial, and healthcare options.
Our Mission
Helping Survivors’s mission is to help heal, educate, and empower people who have been impacted by sexual assault and abuse.
We understand that each survivor’s experience and needs are different and work alongside each individual to help guide them towards the available options. Whether a survivor has experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, or any other form of gender-based violence, we are here to help.
Goals
Helping Survivors is committed to educating and informing survivors of sexual assault and abuse with timely, accurate and relevant information about their legal, financial, and healthcare options.
Our goals include helping survivors know their rights and options, how to best pursue each option, the available resources both in the short and long-term to help them on their healing journey, and help them pursue justice should they choose to.
Who Does Helping Survivors Assist?
Helping Survivors is an organization designed to help individuals who have experienced sexual assault and abuse. Whether someone refers to themselves as a victim, survivor, or other terminology is up to them — we believe that all of their experiences are valid and are here to help each survivor on their unique journey.
While we focus our efforts on helping survivors understand their legal, financial, and healthcare options, we also provide information beyond these areas. We also believe in empowering survivors with knowledge regarding their options but that each individual has the right to choose the best options for them.
For example, some individuals may believe that reporting to law enforcement is not an option. Helping Survivors understands and supports their reasonings, whatever they may be. However, Helping Survivors also believes individuals who do choose or are forced to report to law enforcement should have full access to information regarding this process and experience.
We hope every individual who comes across Helping Survivors feels supported and seen, wherever they are in the journey after experiencing sexual abuse or assault, however they choose to identify, and in whatever choices they make.
Helping Survivor can provide assistance to:
- Individuals who have experienced sexual assault, abuse, or harassment along with other forms of gender-based violence by an institution or an individual
- Individuals who have experienced sexual assault or abuse in a school or university setting who have or have not reported to the institution
- Individuals who experienced sexual harassment or abuse in the workplace
- Individuals who have experienced sexual assault or abuse during a ridesharing trip such as an Uber or Lyft ride
- Individuals who have been sexually assaulted, abused, or harassed by someone on an online dating app or platform (including romance scams or financial fraud)
- Individuals who experienced online grooming or parents of children who experienced grooming
- Individuals who are interested in understanding if what they experienced is considered sexual assault or abuse and what options and resources are available to them
- Individuals who would like to understand what reporting to law enforcement entails
- Individuals who want to join the movement to protect survivors of sexual assault and abuse
- Individuals who are trying to understand their loved one’s past experiences and are seeking guidance
- Individuals who are interested in learning the legal options and rights of survivors of sexual assault and abuse
- Individuals who believe their loved ones are experiencing sexual assault and abuse in a nursing home
- Individuals who believe their loved ones are victims of sexual abuse at school
- Members of the media, researchers and experts
How to Use Information Provided by Helping Survivors
The core content on this website is centered around helping survivors to identify and define what happened during their sexual abuse or assault and the options and resources available to them.
It is our hope individuals will be able to heal through regaining a sense of understanding regarding the resources and options available to lead full and happy lives. These informative articles range from understanding types of abuse, managing feelings and recognizing long-term impacts, and steps for responding to and reporting sexual violence. We encourage our readers to review the informative articles across the website and use the tools provided.
Please get in touch with us if you have any questions or are seeking additional guidance or information.
Expert-Reviewed Content
At Helping Survivors, we are committed to providing reliable and accurate information to support survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Our website offers content that has been carefully reviewed by a group of experts. These experts bring their professional expertise and experience to ensure the quality and relevance of the information we provide.
By involving experts in the review process, we strive to maintain the highest standards of content accuracy, integrity, and empathy. Each article featured on our website has been evaluated and endorsed by professionals specializing in fields such as safety, law, and survivor support.
We believe that survivor-centered content should be based on evidence-based research and reflect the diverse perspectives and needs of survivors. The experts who review our content play a crucial role in validating the information we present and ensuring that it is up-to-date and trustworthy.
Our experts who are responsible for reviewing our content include:
Protection Professional and Workplace Sexual Assault Expert
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