Help for Incest Survivors
TELL US CONFIDENTIALLY
♥ This is an opportunity for you to tell us your story.
Everything you write here is only read by our counsellor Reinette and she NEVER shares your story with anyone. You don’t have to go through this alone, she would love to help you.
WE ARE REALLY SORRY THAT YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL.
Regardless of who abused you, how often, or what the nature of the abuse was, know that it should NOT have happened. We want you to believe that you were not to blame and you are not alone. Rape and sexual abuse is NEVER the survivors fault – perpetrators make the choice to rape and abuse and they are to blame.
COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT GROUPS
Counselling for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse is available free of charge at our offices in Somerset West.
Appointments can be made by calling the counsellors:
Reinette Evans – (English/Afrikaans) 083 484 9409
Reinette is an experienced counsellor with over 20 years experience counselling and working with victims of rape and abuse, especially adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Face-to-face help is of course the best option, but here are a number of options for you to receive help before you meet the counsellors:
Email Help
You can also write to Reinette via email and ask her questions or tell her more about your story. Her email is help@crisiscentre.org.za.
Telephone Help
24-hour help and advice in English and Afrikaans from Reinette on 083 484 9409.
Support Groups
These groups will be revived again as soon as resources are available. Call Reinette on 083 484 9409 or email help@crisiscentre.org.za to find out more.
♥ Our first support group was started in March 2002. https://siawso.org/ Any woman 18 years or older who was a victim of childhood sexual abuse may attend. Our support group is a self-help group and is based on a 12-step program successfully used in America. All literature used was written by incest survivors for incest survivors. Survivors are able to share their secrets and experiences in a safe environment. Confidentiality is central to this program.
What survivors have said about this group:
“My problems obviously started with sexual abuse and I can think about it now without my whole body shaking. That sounds weird – I know, but when I used to get forced to think about it, my entire body would shake. Needless to say I did not allow myself to think about it much. Now it is different – I have been able to face the things that have happened to me in the support group and with my counselor and have dealt with them. My whole personality has apparently changed now – I smile more and am not so serious and I am more fun to be around. The really amazing part though is that now I am sort of enthusiastic about the future. I still think the world sucks, but I am ok with being here now. I have some goals and am slowly trying to get to them.”
“Incest Survivors opened their doors to me when I had reached the lowest point in my life. I remember talking, yet the words that fell out of my mouth were just on the edge of the volcano of smouldering hurts that I had been hiding away, not only from my family but also myself. My passage of growth in the programme was nurtured by the friendships that I soon valued. The patience and love that these unique individuals revealed to me, humbled me, and led me into a way of believing in myself. At times I felt as though I could not cope alone only to be brought down on my knees once more. And they were always there to gently push me forward again. Words cannot sufficiently describe what Incest Survivors has meant to me. Thank you, Reinette, and all the extraordinary people I have been honoured to befriend.”
“There is help, more importantly I was given tools to help myself. That sinking feeling is still with me, but I can now use it for my benefit. It no longer has any power over me, but it has come to my aid more times than I care to remember. I now call it my alarm system, but I had to embark on a journey of healing. Rape Crisis Helderberg equipped me, they held up a hand mirror so that I could look into it and see the reflection of the little girl that was tormented all those years ago, but what started emerging is the human being that God created to stand proud in his service.”
“You find an inner peace in yourself and I never found that before. In the end I realized that everyone of us are incest survivors and rape and abuse survivors who are struggling with the same thing. We care deeply about one another, we help each other! We care about each other. We share our problems and through Rape Crisis we can tell other women that there is hope! If you look at me now and compare how I was a few years ago – then you will say exactly the same – THERE IS HOPE!“
