Helplines in Havering, England.

Are you experiencing sexual abuse, assault or harassment? Contact a free hotline in Havering, England for confidential support

Sexual abuse is a form sexual violence where a person uses power or coercion to force you into unwanted sexual activity. You can be a victim of sexual abuse if you are a woman, man or child. Other forms of sexual violence are sexual assault, such as rape, and sexual harassment, which is sexual behaviour toward you that is unwelcome or offensive.

If you are a victim of sexual violence, talking about your experience with people who understand can help you recover. Seek free help from 3 sexual abuse, assault and harassment hotlines in Havering, England if you face:

Examples of sexual violence:

• Repeated unwanted sexual attention or advances, including in your workplace or by your employer
• Sexual photos or videos being posted online without your consent
• An organ or an object being put into your vagina (rape), or anus or mouth (sodomy), without your consent
• Rape by more than one person (gang rape) or rape by the same person over a period of time (serial rape)
• Being spoken to in a sexual way that you find offensive or degrading
• Being coerced, threatened or forced to perform any sort of sexual activity
• Sexual abuse or assault from someone in your family (incest)
• Being forced or coerced to have sex without protection from sexually transmitted diseases

Effects of sexual violence:

• An urge to use alcohol, drugs, or gamble excessively
• Feeling edgy and fearful, especially around people who resemble the abuser in any way
• Having flashbacks about the sexual abuse
• Losing trust in people in general
• Minimizing the abuse as not being as severe as someone else’s
• Engaging in self-harm or self-mutilation
• Having nightmares about the sexual abuse you experienced
• A decline in your physical and mental health

As a victim of sexual violence you could be feeling furious, desperate, revengeful, hopeless, and empty, all at the same time. This is a perfectly normal response to such a traumatizing event.

If you’re struggling with finding meaning in what occurred to you, talking to hotline staff in Havering, England might help you calm your thoughts and emotions and find a path forward. You don’t have to be alone on your journey toward recovery.

If you are victim of sexual abuse, assault or harassment, consider contacting a helpline in Havering, England for free, confidential help.