RAPE IS NOT ABOUT SEX...Rape is a crime of violence that is committed through a sexual act. Rape is a violent, traumatic and life changing experience that can happen to ANYONE in almost any situation.Reporting rape takes enormous courage - survivors do not take such steps lightly.
Every Monday night at 19h00 we have a support group for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse at our offices, cnr. Batavia & Oldenland Road, Somerset West, South Africa.
Call 083 484 9409 or 021 852 5620 for more information.
BOOKS Recommended books that help survivors through the healing process.
LEGAL INFO Free legal info is available from Rape Crisis Helderberg. Further options include quality legal advice from a team of lawyers on an ongoing basis for a fee of R60 p.m. from Her Law.
SPIRITUAL Many survivors have spiritual struggles and questions. If you need spiritual help we highly recommend Kanaan Ministries. Material is available free on their website.
Rape Crisis Helderberg is a non-profit organization committed to help survivors of rape and abuse overcome their trauma through caring counselling amongst all the people in the Helderberg basin and surroundings.
THE INSIDE FEELINGS IN WORDS No Names, No Faces - Just Words
"It feels a lot better now, but when I think about it I still can't breathe - it's like I freeze up."
A HUGE BIG THANK YOU to every donor who has made our renovations possible at the crisis centre!
We have been privileged to be able to improve the garden, paint the crisis centre, put up new curtains in the crisis centre, decorate a new counseling room, put up a store room wendy, paint the stoop right around the centre, fix the bench at the centre and extend the shop!!!!
We are so very grateful for the love and support shown to us through their sponsorship.
A big thank you to Ronel Pompe Photography who kindly helped us with some of the photo's in this newsletter. She is currently running an exciting Baby Competition with stunning prizes to the value of R27 000. A 30 minute photo shoot is included in the competition. Call her to find out more 082 896 3293.
Thank you to the following donors who have made this all possible:
Maxifarm Garden Nurseries
Agri-Organics
Parel-Vallei Nurseries
Xpanda
Lewis Stores
Russells
House Of Paint
Campbell Miller
Plascon Paints
Chanu
Coricraft
Federated Timbers
Benbel
Affordable Framing
Prominent Paints
Carpet World
Outdoor Cooking
O’gradys Paints
Frames & Things
Ronel Pompe Photography
PREVENTION
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Hi Everyone
This is a new stunning product range that Anne at our office has purchased for her daughter. It enables parents to keep their children more safe in crowds, in malls and if the child does go missing, for others to identify the child.
Our childrens safety is something we should NEVER take lightly. In our drive to promote safety for women, hand in hand with this come our children. Take a look at these products, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact Ally via her website. If you do decide to purchase anything, please mention that you learned about it from us!!
Thank you for taking the time to read through this information - do it for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren - in fact ANY children. You may just be saving yourself or someone else alot of heartache and maybe even a life!!!
This group of over 40,000 members worldwide gives a voice to those who want to do something to prevent these cruel acts. Be a hero and stand up for those who can't do it for themselves and be a rock for them to lean on by giving your support.
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BOOK SALE SUCCESS!!!
25-28 June 2009 Rape Crisis had a big second-hand book sale at the Somerset Mall with 23 other charities and it was a great success. Rape Crisis made R10 846.55 funds and all this thanks to the many, many donations that we received from so many kind and generous folks. A special thanks to the following donors: CLICKS head office, WORDSWORTH, EXCLUSIVE BOOKS, SPIER ESTATE staff volunteer group, THE BOOKWORM, DENISE EABY and KANAAN MINISTRIES and the many other individuals and businesses for their donation of books.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
RAITH FOUNDATION
A BIG BIG THANK YOU to the Raith Foundation for their large donation to our Township Project work!
FEATURED TEAM MEMBER
This week we feature:
Elize Harmse
Who manages the collection tins. Elize is the newest member of the team at Rape Crisis Helderberg. She worked part-time as a helper at the office and a volunteer at the crisis centre. In December 2008 she joined the team full-time to manage the collection tins and continues to help at the office as well.
Rape is an act of POWER and CONTROL and sex is used as the weapon to achieve this.
Rape is NEVER the survivors fault - rapists make the choice to rape and they are to blame. Saying "NO" to sex truly does mean saying "NO" to sex. Silence does NOT mean consent.
After being raped, even if you do not open a case please:
Get evidence collected within 24 hours and no later than 72 hours (the police will take you to the rape crisis centre or hospital)
Get anti-retrovirals & emergency contraception within 72 hours (anti-retrovirals are free to rape victims at government hospitals)
Get antibiotic medication to prevent other sexually transmitted infections
Get counselling from a person trained in rape trauma counselling - it is never too late
You can get all of the above free at our office at Helderberg Hospital, Somerset West
RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME is a recognised response to rape and sexual abuse and it includes a variety of problems including various long-term consequences, the symptoms are similar to Post Traumatic Stress. Although many rape survivors suffer from the symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome, not all survivors respond to rape in the same way. It is important to treat each rape survivor as an individual and to try and understand what the rape means to that particular person. Coping with being raped may also be more difficult if family, friends and colleagues are not supportive and/or blame the survivor. After the shock has passed, some survivors try to act as if nothing has happened. This is their way of trying to block out the rape, because they feel that they won't be able to cope if they let themselves remember what happened to them. However, if a rape survivor is going to recover well from the impact of a rape, s/he must let her/himself remember the rape and feel whatever s/he is feeling inside. When s/he does start remembering and feeling, s/he will also start suffering from symptoms, but these usually improve gradually over time. It often helps a survivor to have counselling if s/he is experiencing symptoms that upset her/him. The effects of rape are long term. Rape survivors never forget being raped, but many learn how to deal with the memory. Studies have shown that the symptoms suffered by a rape survivor three months after a rape usually continue over the next three to four years, although they do seem to improve over time.Sadly South Africa holds the for the highest rapes world-wide. Interpol estimates that over 1 million women are raped each year in South Africa.
We want to help you to "PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER AGAIN".
Copyright 2008 @ Rape Crisis Helderberg, All rights reserved
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HELPLINE
SUPPORT
LEGAL INFO Free legal info is available from Rape Crisis Helderberg. Further options include quality legal advice from a team of lawyers on an ongoing basis for a fee of R60 p.m. from Her Law.
