Helplines in West Bengal, India.

Have you experienced sexual abuse, assault or harassment? Get confidential support from a hotline in West Bengal, India

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 through your experience can help. Reach out to any of 0 hotlines that support with sexual abuse, assault and harassment in West Bengal, India if you experienced:

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:

• Feeling guilty about the sexual abuse
• Not being able to fall or stay asleep
• Losing trust in people in general
• Having nightmares about the sexual abuse you experienced
• Minimizing the abuse as not being as severe as someone else’s
• Feeling edgy and fearful, especially around people who resemble the abuser in any way
• Feeling dirty, damaged, and broken
• Feeling ashamed for what occurred

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.

If you’re struggling with finding meaning in what occurred to you, talking to hotline staff in West Bengal, India 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 ready to talk to someone about your experience of sexual abuse, assault or harassment, you can contact a hotline in West Bengal, India for free and confidential support.