Family & Friends Resource
It doesn't matter whether it happened yesterday or 30 years ago, we will still offer women help to heal.
Apart from traumatising its victims, sexual violence has a tendency to have ripple effects which have the ability to debilitate whole families.
LRCC acknowledges that as a partner, friend, colleague, you are affected by this traumatic event in that person's life. That makes you a secondary victim, and whether you are a female or male relative or friend to the woman, LRCC can provide support to help you to try and understand the trauma and the effects that your loved one is going through as a result of this.
You can access our service via a telephone helpline (01698 527003), which is staffed as frequently as we can and has an out of hours answering machine which will be answered within 24 hours with the caller's permission. (See above ticker).
How can you help?
To help the woman you have to try to understand what she is going through, and how difficult it might be for her to come to terms with what has happened to her.
Believe, listen, be there, get support for you.....
Information
It may benefit you to read some literature or even books written to help other people understand the issues and effects of rape and sexual abuse. Call us for information or click on the link at the bottom of the page.
You may also find useful information on other web-sites, that will provide you with exactly what you are looking for in your own unique situation.
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Effects of Rape & Sexual Abuse
It is significant that the rate of a woman's recovery can very much be determined by the level and type of support available to her.
The following are some of the longer term effects women suffer as a result of sexual violence:
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Guilt
• Lack of confidence
• Sleep disturbances
• Panic attacks
• Inability to function day to day
• Relationship difficulties
• Alcohol/substance misuse
• Medication dependencies
• Fear
• Suicidal thoughts/tendencies
• Loss of control/choices
This list is not exhaustive, nor does it mean that all of the identified effects are present at the same time. It differs for women and it depends on her environment, information, informal supports and access to valuable, structured support.
If you support her, then her recovery could be made that little bit easier.