Helplines in Reading, England.

Have you experienced sexual abuse, assault or harassment? Get confidential support from a hotline in Reading, England

Regardless of whether you're a woman, man or child in Reading, England, if someone has used coercion, power or force to make you engage in unwanted sexual activity, you were a victim of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is a form of sexual violence, which is any sexual activity without consent. Other forms of sexual violence are sexual assault, such as rape and unwanted touching, and sexual harassment, which is unwelcome 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 1 sexual abuse, assault and harassment hotlines in Reading, England if you face:

Examples of sexual violence:

• Sexual photos or videos being posted online without your consent
• Being exposed to a violent, hurtful sexual act without your permission
• Being used sexually in a way that is humiliating
• An organ or an object being put into your vagina (rape), or anus or mouth (sodomy), without your consent
• Being spoken to in a sexual way that you find offensive or degrading
• Repeated unwanted sexual attention or advances, including in your workplace or by your employer
• Catcalls and whistles that make you feel uncomfortable or objectified
• Being kissed or touched without your consent or being made, by coercion or force, to touch or kiss someone

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

Sexual violence could provoke many ways of coping, some more and some less healthy. You may go through many different feelings, responses, and stages of recovery until you fully heal.

If you’re struggling with finding meaning in what occurred to you, talking to hotline staff in Reading, 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 feel like you might need support with your experience of sexual violence, try reaching out to a hotline in Reading, England. It's free and confidential.