Helplines in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Have you experienced sexual abuse, assault or harassment? Reach out to a sexual abuse hotline in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand today for private, confidential support

Sexual abuse is when one person forces another person into sexual behavior, without that person's consent. It is a type of sexual violence, which is any sexual activity without consent. This includes sexual assault (such as unwanted touching or rape) and sexual harassment (unwelcome or offensive sexual behavior).

If you are a victim of sexual violence, talking about your experience with people who understand can help you recover. Seek free help from 2 sexual abuse, assault and harassment hotlines in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand if you face:

Examples of sexual violence:

• Being used sexually in a way that is humiliating
• Being spoken to in a sexual way that you find offensive or degrading
• Someone making degrading or offensive comments about your body or sexuality, or using sexual terms and language in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
• Being exposed to a violent, hurtful sexual act without your permission
• Being kissed or touched without your consent or being made, by coercion or force, to touch or kiss someone
• Sexual photos or videos being posted online without your consent
• Being coerced, threatened or forced to perform any sort of sexual activity
• Being filmed or photographed nude or in a sexually explicit way without your permission

Effects of sexual violence:

• Feeling overwhelmed with a range of emotions, like anger, fear, numbness
• An urge to use alcohol, drugs, or gamble excessively
• Feeling guilty about the sexual abuse
• Having nightmares about the sexual abuse you experienced
• Feeling as if everyone could see what happened to you
• Bursts of fear, anxiety, and panic
• Minimizing the abuse as not being as severe as someone else’s
• Avoidance of anything that reminds you of the sexual abuse

Everyone responds to experiencing sexual violence differently. It’s perfectly normal to go through very different emotions in a single day. Still, trying to cope with this on your own can be extremely difficult.

Coping with the trauma of sexual violence can be even harder if you are trying to do it on your own. There is no right or wrong way to recover from the abuse. However, having someone to talk to in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand can make the process easier.

If you are victim of sexual abuse, assault or harassment, consider contacting a helpline in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand for free, confidential help.