Who Is Helping Survivors?
Helping Survivors is part of a growing movement of concerned citizens, survivors, and professionals working to ensure the right of every person to build a life free from the devastating consequences of sexual assault and abuse.
The website helpingsurvivors.org was founded by Helping Survivors, LLC. Incorporated in Delaware, Helping Survivors, LLC is a national organization comprised of individuals dedicated to helping survivors of sexual assault and abuse. We work towards this goal daily by providing our website’s visitors with:
- Educational content reviewed by a diverse group of experts
- First-hand commentary from survivors and professionals who work with survivors
- Legal resources to seek justice
- Connections to organizations helping to protect and heal
Helping Survivors is an online-only organization with a distributed team working remotely across time zones. Our team members hail from across the United States.
We believe freedom from physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological harm is a basic human right of all individuals.
The resources we provide are intended for individuals who have experienced sexual assault or abuse and are seeking support, and for those who are seeking to learn about how to best help survivors of sexual violence.
Sexual violence is sadly quite common in our society, and it affects people of all genders and ages. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, sexual assault occurs every 73 seconds for adults and every nine minutes for children.
The impact of sexual assault and abuse cannot be overstated. Survivors of sexual violence may have life-lasting injuries that extend far beyond physical consequences; unfortunately, there are many emotional and psychological reactions that victims of rape and sexual assault can experience. Recovering from assault takes time and patience. The healing process can be painful, but it is possible to regain a sense of control, rebuild self-worth, and eventually heal.
We believe you and we’ve got your back.
Helping Survivors recognizes that healing from sexual assault and abuse is a complex, multi-dimensional journey. Our team advocates for survivors by providing the tools and assistance needed for them to work through emotional and psychological layers to reclaim a sense of peace. The team behind helpingsurvivors.org includes healthcare providers, legal professionals, survivors, as well as friends and family members of survivors. We understand not only what needs to be accomplished in order to heal, but also which paths to take in order to achieve that level of clarity and peace.
In the wake of sexual abuse or assault, it is normal for the victim to feel overwhelmed. The immediate aftermath can be daunting, confusing, and stressful. Depending on the unique situation, we do our best to connect survivors with the most relevant legal, financial, or medical resources.
Our Mission
Not all survivors are the same, nor will any act of sexual assault or abuse affect two people the same way. Helping Survivors has evaluated and documented the many common reactions to sexual violence, but there is no right or wrong way to react to what has happened.
The mission of Helping Survivors is to heal, educate, and empower survivors of sexual abuse, sexual violence, and domestic violence.
We plan to achieve this by providing content on helpingsurvivors.org that is centered around empowering survivors to achieve their goals and empower transformation by leading with empathy.
Goals
We are wholly committed to educating and informing survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Helpingsurvivors.org provides timely, accurate and relevant information to achieve this goal.
There are several resources to consider regarding the concerns accompanying sexual violence, whether physical, emotional, psychological, or all three. Helpingsurvivors.org aims to help survivors and their loved ones to build a comprehensive plan for facing their unique journey back to health.
Our team operates in favor of ethical journalism practices. We strive to present only wholly unbiased information. Every piece of content on this website is confirmable, and the sources exclusively linked to within our content have been vetted as credible and trustworthy.
Expert-reviewed content features the name and background information for the expert that has reviewed or provided commentary on each article.
Objective
Helping Survivor’s objective is to keep survivors focused on growth.
We aim to define sexual assault and abuse for our readers in a way that is both clear and concise. Different situations are introduced throughout the website, and the actions, causes, treatments, and potential side effects are explained in layman’s terms. Safety tips are provided alongside helpful definitions and other situational recommendations.
Additional actionable items included on the site are recommendations for preparing to report sexual assault and abuse to authorities and finding helpful support groups.
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 educational 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
Partnership with Garbo
Helping Survivors is partnered with Garbo, an online platform specializing in online safety and comprehensive background checks. This collaboration amplifies our support for survivors of abuse and violence by leveraging Garbo’s expertise in this space.
Garbo is dedicated to creating safer online communities by providing access to reliable and accurate background information. Through advanced technology and extensive databases, they empower users to conduct background checks and obtain essential personal safety information.
Kathryn Kosmides, the founder of Garbo, as well as other members of their team assist in reviewing the content on the Helping Survivors website to ensure that it meets the needs of sexual assault and abuse survivors. This partnership is significant for Helping Survivors as we strive to enhance our content and resources to be able to better equip survivors with the tools they need to navigate their healing process.
Together, Helping Survivors and Garbo are united in their dedication to improving the lives of survivors and fostering safer communities in addition to preventing future assault and abuse through Garbo’s innovative technology. Through this partnership, we aim to empower survivors with knowledge and resources, enabling them to reclaim their lives and build a brighter future.
For more information about Garbo, visit Garbo.io
Audience
Whether you identify as a victim, survivor, or as someone working through the trauma of sexual abuse, know that you are not alone. You are not to blame for what happened and support is available to help your journey to healing.
Helping Survivor’s audience includes, but is not limited to:
- People who would like to join the movement to protecting survivors of sexual assault and abuse
- People who are interested in reporting instances of sexual abuse to police
- People who want detailed and objective information about sexual assault
- People who are questioning either their own or their loved ones’ past experiences and would like guidance from a non-judgemental source
- People who have concerns about sexual abuse or assault that occurred during an Uber or Lyft ride
- People who are trying to understand the differences between sexual assault and sexual battery
- People who have are interested in learning their rights when it comes to sexual violence
- People who want to know the warning signs of grooming
- People who want to keep their loved ones safe while they are dating online
- People who believe their loved ones are experiencing sexual assault and abuse in a nursing home
- People who believe their loved ones are victims of sexual abuse at school
- People who think they may have experienced sexual abuse at a young age
- People who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace
- People who are considering appointing an attorney for their sex abuse case
- Members of the media, researchers and experts
Possible Sexual Assault/Abuse Issues
Part of advocating for yourself, or your loved one, is knowing what to look out for. People can suffer from a wide array of sexual assault or abuse issues:
- Sexual assault
- Sexual abuse
- Sexual battery
- Unwanted physical contact
- Sexual abuse or assault in the workplace
- Sexual abuse in school
- Grooming
- Child sexual abuse
- Nursing home sexual abuse or assault
- Rape
- Incest
- Sex trafficking
- Rideshare sexual abuse or assault
- Online dating
How to Use this Information
The core content on this website is centered around helping survivors to identify and define what happened during their sexual abuse or assault. It is our hope individuals will be able to heal through regaining a sense of understanding, and to use coping mechanisms to help them to lead full and happy lives. These informative articles range from managing feelings to recognizing side effects, support group contacts, 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.
While most people who experience sexual assault or abuse choose not to report it, and there is no shame in maintaining silence, an important step in the healing process is internally addressing the incident. The journey to health looks different for everyone and the content on helpingsurvivors.org reflects different paths one can take.
If you are considering reporting the sexual assault and abuse, gather information as early as possible. Delayed reporting can lead to the destruction of DNA evidence as well as memory loss around the event.
We are ready to provide you the information needed. Review our website and reach out if you have questions or need support.
We can be reached directly here or by writing to us at:
Helping Survivors LLC
8 The Green
Suite # 12996
Dover, DE 19901
