If someone told you they had experienced sexual violence, would you know how to respond?
For many the honest answer is no. Yet survivors often disclose their experiences not to Gardaí or counsellors first, but to a friend, colleague, manager, teacher or coach.
That first conversation can make a lasting difference. A supportive response can help someone feel believed and may encourage them to seek further help.
That is why disclosure training is so important.
Galway Rape Crisis Centre has been providing training that helps people respond appropriately when someone discloses sexual violence.
The aim of the training is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to appropriately respond to a disclosure ensuring that the survivor feels heard, while increasing participants awareness of the causes and effects of sexual violence. We want participants to learn the skills that will equip them with the confidence to listen without judgement, respond with empathy and signpost survivors appropriately.
The training also provides participants with information and skills on how to best support themselves.
As conversations around consent and gender-based violence continue to evolve, prevention rightly remains a priority. But prevention alone is not enough. We must also ensure that when violence occurs, survivors encounter understanding rather than uncertainty.
Whether someone works behind a bar, coaches a youth team, manages a workplace, lectures in a college or volunteers in the community, they may one day become the first person a survivor turns to. Without training, even the most well-meaning response may inadvertently cause further distress. With training, that conversation can become the first step towards healing.
Every person who learns how to receive a disclosure with empathy strengthens the safety net around survivors.
That is not merely professional development.
It is community development.
For more information on our disclosure training email [email protected].
