Healing

Sexual violence is a traumatic violation of the body, mind, and spirit. It can profoundly impact a person’s health and well-being. Each person reacts differently to sexual violence and there is no right or wrong way to cope with or to feel about your experience.

Be Gentle with Yourself

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self preservation and that is an act of political warfare.”

– Audre Lorde, black, lesbian, feminist writer, scholar and activist

Self care is about taking care of ourselves – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is about (re)learning how to be gentle with ourselves and how to attend to our needs. Self care is crucial for our survival, wellbeing, and growth, especially after experiencing harm. You deserve radical care and love. Remember that, like healing, self care is a non-linear practice. What you need will change and grow at different times and in reaction to different things.

Access Support

“I am fighting for an interdependence that embraces need and tells the truth: no one does it on their own and the myth of independence is just that, a myth.”

– Mia Mingus, writer, educator and organizer working for disability justice and transformative justice responses to child sexual abuse

Talking with others can be an important step in healing. Connect with a counsellor, a support line, or a friend.

Contact the Laurier’s Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Supports to find out about the many different support and counselling options available to you.

You are not alone. Reach out.

• svinfo@wlu.ca

We are also happy to offer specialized on-campus counselling for survivors through our partnerships with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region and the Sexual Assault Centre of Brant. To make an appointment, contact:

Waterloo

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region 24-hour support line: call 519.741.8633.

On-Campus Sexual Assault Support Centre Counselling: call 519.571.0121 or fill out their online intake form.

Brantford

The Sexual Assault Centre of Brant 24-hour crisis and support line: call 519.751.3471.