Supporting Survivors of Violence (2)

How else can you support survivors? Two words: Believe them.

As humans, we have a thing where we know people do bad things, but we never want to think, or even believe, that people we know can do bad things.

The reality though is people we know can be perpetrators of violence against women and girls, and if a survivor opens up to you, one of the best things you can ever say is “ I believe you. I am here for you. I will support you in any way I can.”

There’s this narrative of not wanting to believe survivors because some people lie about their experiences. However, research has shown that about 1 in 20 people will lie about being sexually abused. Do we invalidate the experiences of 19 people because of 1 person? NO!

Some people take minutes, hours or days to open up about their experiences. Others take months, years, or even decades. There are some that will never talk about their experiences and that is fine as well.

Irrespective of whatever category survivors fall in or whenever they decide to speak up, do not invalidate their experiences.

Believe survivors.