What does it actually mean to hold space for someone disclosing abuse?
In this conversation, Chris, Knowmore's Lived Experience Lead, unpacks what it takes to be genuinely present when someone discloses abuse to you.
Part 1 Lived Experience – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
At least 96% of people who have been sexually abused as children were known to their abuser. Chris and Barbara discuss the fact that most of the time a child's abuser is known to them.
Part 2 Lived Experience – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
Chris and Barbara discuss the resilience and strength of survivors and reiterate that victim-survivors of childhood sexual abuse did nothing wrong.
Part 1 Justice Seeking – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
Barbara and Chris discuss the reasons they chose to seek justice via the legal system, and the importance of being believed and having your trauma recognised.
Part 2 Justice Seeking – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
Barbara and Chris Coombe, offer general tips to prepare survivors who want to come forward. They emphasise that no survivor should feel pressured to share their story.
Part 3 Justice Seeking – Survivors Experiences with Barb & Chris
Chris Coombes and Barbara know that survivors need to feel seen, and acknowledge that people decide to commence legal action for different reasons.
Part 4 Justice Seeking – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
Chris Coombes and Barbara discuss the process and length of going through the civil legal system when seeking justice.
Ongoing Impacts of Childhood Sexual Abuse – Survivor Experiences with Barb & Chris
Barbara and Chris discuss the traumatic impacts and interpersonal, professional and personal barriers caused by childhood sexual abuse.
Ongoing Impacts of Childhood Sexual Abuse – Part 2 – Survivors Experiences with Barb & Chris
Chris and Barbara, discuss the ongoing impacts of childhood sexual abuse. They acknowledge that there is no linear path.
Legacy – Survivors Experiences with Barb & Chris
1 in 3 adults say they would not believe a child if they disclosed sexual abuse. Barbara and Chris discuss the importance of showing up for, and believing, children when they share trauma.
Healing on the Govvy Dime – Chris Coombes’ poem
Our Lived Experience Lead, Chris Coombes, shares his poem about his own experience as a child that he wrote while applying for Redress.
The Littlest Flower – written by Wren Jennings, survivor of childhood abuse
There’s no “right” way to tell your story. At Knowmore, we honour every survivor’s story — however it is told.
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