24 HOUR CRISIS LINE: 083 484 9409  
Tel: 021 852 5620 • Fax: 086 519 4358   
Email: help@crisiscentre.org.za  
Helderberg Hospital • Lourensford Road • Somerset West  
Western Cape • South Africa • 7129  
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OUR FRIENDS, PARTNERS & NETWORKING ASSOCIATES
 

(this list is unfortunately not complete due to our time constraints, if your name should be on this list and we have neglected to put it on, please ask to have it put on)

Since Rape Crisis Helderberg started serving the community in 1993, we have been privileged to have made many friends with other organisations and individuals, both in our field, in supplementary fields and in completely different fields. This network of supporters is very dear to us and we are proud to list them here:

1.     Alcoholics Anonymous

Substance abuse is not un-common when dealing with rape- and incest survivors therefore we often refer clients to this organisation.

2.     Bridges – Drug programme

Substance abuse with rape- and incest survivors is a problem we often have to deal with and we often refer clients to this programme and they refer to us.

3.     Choices – Crisis Pregnancy Centre

This organisation provides accommodation and care for mothers who are going to give up their babies for adoption. We have placed some clients with Choices and have financially supported their stay there if there was no other alternative. They in turn refer clients to us who have fallen pregnant after a rape.

4.     Connect Network

A network for abused women and children, based in Somerset West.

5.     HIV Clinic – Tina and Nellie van der Maas

About 30% of our clients are HIV+ and the knowledge that Tina and Nellie have on this subject is invaluable to us. They also present our volunteer training courses on HIV/Aids.

6.     Helderberg Hospital

The hospital has made rooms available at no cost, supplies medication and covers all our telephone and electricity costs. 

7.     Macincedane – Employment empowerment agency

Clients from Rape Crisis Helderberg have been able to find employment through this agency.

8.     Massage Therapists

Besides the obvious advantage of relaxation, these massage therapists play a very important role in “teaching” survivors that “good” touching does exist and is good for them.

9.     Patch – Child abuse centre

They share the Crisis Centre with us for the Intervention program and clients under the age of 18 years are referred from and to them.

10. Psychologist – Heloise Uys

For further therapy clients are referred to her and she presents training for volunteers.

11. The Pierre Robin Sequence Foundation

The Pierre Robin Sequence Foundation is a non profit organisation that is creating awareness of the condition Pierre Robin Syndrome (PRS). They work in collaboration with other organisations that mainly deal with children’s health, welfare, transformation and education. Their priority and focus is to provide the financial assistance for children requiring facial cranial reconstructive surgery who would otherwise not have the means to do so.

12.  Charity SA

For further information click on this link: http://www.charitysa.co.za
 
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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

Call 083 484 9409 (24 hours a day) or 021-852 5620 (office hours) or write to help@crisiscentre.org.za.

You do not have to go through this alone.

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".