Finding Support

If you were ritually abused you may be afraid that no one will believe you; that no one will be able to help and support you. You may believe that the group will always find you; that there is no safety anywhere. Other survivors like you have felt the same way but many have managed to find support for themselves. The following are some ideas of places you can try for support.
Rape Crisis Centres – Are run by women for women only. They offer a free and confidential support service. Some are experienced in working with ritual abuse survivors and all are open to learning more. Most will be able to advise male survivors of other agencies for them.
Women’s Aid – Run by women for women. They are a free and confidential service. They offer safe accommodation and support to any woman experiencing violence in the home.
Help-lines – There are many telephone help-lines for survivors of sexual abuse. Some of these are specifically for women only, some for men and some are for both.
Survivors groups – Most rape crisis centres will have a list of groups that meet in their area.
Samaritans – Offer free, confidential, support. They may not have a high awareness of ritual abuse but are usually good listeners and can help you find out what other services exist.
Psychologists – Through a GP you can be referred to a psychologist. Though he or she may not have a very high awareness, some are very open to learning and can be very helpful.
Therapists – You can usually access one free through a GP or you can go private. Some have very good awareness of the issues of ritual abuse; some don’t but are open to learning.
Friends – Don’t underestimate friends. They can be very helpful and supportive of you. Though they may never have heard of ritual abuse before, they may be willing to learn about it and help you find resources and other support.
Internet – There is a great deal of support and information available now on the Internet. This is a fairly safe way of accessing support and information without anyone knowing who you are or where you come from. Internet access is now available in libraries and cafés in most towns.