keeping the conversation going

after the initial conversation, it is likely that this won't be the last time that sexual violence & abuse will be mentioned. after all, our healing journey has only just begun. telling someone about it can be both empowering & traumatic at the same time. to support us in our healing, you may choose to check in with us from time to time if you feel comfortable doing so.

healing is never a linear process. from day to day, as we are processing what has happened, different emotions will arise. whilst we can learn a lot about ourselves, it may be an extremely difficult time for us. we are grateful to anyone who would like to offer us continued support. however, we also understand that it is a challenging topic to bring up more than once. if you choose to speak to us on an ongoing basis, please remember to look after yourself.

how do i keep the conversation going?

after the initial conversation, ask us if we'd like you to check in every now & again. if we say yes, you can ask for a specific timeframe. it may be the case that we can't give you an answer immediately. if so, you can ask us to contact you when you are ready.

i appreciate that we had a difficult
conversation today. thank you for
trusting me. would you like me to check
in again another time? if so, when?

i hear that you're not sure if you'd like me to see how you're doing in the future. that's absolutely okay. we had a hard conversation today. if you change your mind, come see me/call me/text me & i'll be more than happy to check in every now and again.

here are a few phrases that you can use when you check in. if we are feeling triggered, we might not respond or might change the subject. even so, we appreciate you checking in with us.

how are you doing today?

please know that there is no pressure to talk about anything you don't want to.

is there any way i can support you today?

how are you feeling today?

is there anything you would like to talk about today?

did you want to meet up today? i'm happy to have a chat or we can do something fun.

previous: what happens if i upset them?

if someone who has been subjected to sexual violence & abuse chooses to share their experiences, it is likely going to be an ongoing conversation as healing can time some time. there may be instances where we open up about our experiences in the future. we ask that you listen to us & honour what we have to say when we need to say it.

thank you for everything, you lovely human.