Unfortunately charities can’t rely on the public to dig into their pockets and provide the financial security they need. When I was a trustee at Survivors UK, we struggled to get members of the public to engage with us. We didn’t attract funding from corporations. People don’t like to talk about abuse, which means they don’t have conversations about the great work these organisations do. Just like abuse itself, those who support survivors of abuse are often out of sight and out of mind, which makes fundraising from anywhere other than the government or foundations virtually impossible. So we’re left with our current situation of poorly funded organisations and growing waiting lists. A waiting list for someone living with trauma can be a death sentence.
Have you ever wondered why it can take so long for someone to recover from sexual abuse? Why people are still deeply affected by it decades later? Why it sends some people into a life of drug addiction and long-term physical and mental health problems? It’s because sexual abuse is a crime against the self. A crime that affects the very core of who you are. A crime where your agency, choice and validity are momentarily erased by someone else
2015-08-13