Getting Help
We listen to, believe and support survivors of any race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religious and cultural background.
We respect the courage and strength it takes to speak out about your experience of sexual violence, whether it has been a recent assault or it happened a long time ago.
If you are affected by sexual abuse in whatever form, at whatever stage of your life, recent or past, we are here to help.
We will work with you to help you overcome the negative impacts of trauma, violence, or abuse
What we do
● We provide face to face and remote trauma informed counselling services
● We deliver play therapy, creative and sand tray therapy for children aged 4 and above
● We offer pre-trial therapy sessions to adults and children whilst involved in the criminal justice process
● We work with parents, carers, families, and friends of people affected by rape, sexual abuse, or sexualised violence
● We hold groups, peer support sessions and offer outdoor therapies
● We deliver educational programmes, training, and consultancy to other agencies – voluntary and statutory
● We have online digital information and resources
● We raise awareness of the wider issues around rape, sexual abuse, or sexualised violence within our community
Our therapeutic counselling and art/play therapy sessions are provided at no cost to our clients. However, as a local charity, we need to raise funds from donations and grants in order to be able to provide our service for survivors of rape and sexual abuse who live in Cumbria and Lancashire.
Coping After Sexual Abuse and Moving Forward
Everyone has different feelings and reactions after an experience of sexual abuse/violence and/or rape. These feelings can be really different to one another and can be challenging to process, or you may feel nothing at all. Just remember, there is no right or wrong way to react or feel. Here are some ideas of how to move forward and cope after an experience of sexual abuse:
- Remember and believed it happened – although it may be easier to pretend the rape or abuse never happened, remembering it happened, although painful and difficult is the first step towards healing
- Discovering and accepting your feelings – it’s important to take time to process your feelings towards the rape or abuse
- Throwing away the guilt – you may feel guilty after being raped or abused but remember you are never the one to blame for it happening
- Express yourself – draw, paint or write about your thoughts and feelings, this can help process the muddled feelings in a way that makes sense to you.
- Ask for help – breaking the silence and talking about it is a vital part of the healing process..
We are so grateful for all donations and support we receive. Please contact us if you would like to help The Birchall Trust.