Sexual assault survivors support in Switzerland 🇨🇭

“Dear stranger, nearly four years ago I was exactly where you are. Flashbacks during intimacy, every single day. I've started painting again. You get yourself back in pieces. One day at a time.”

“No sé qué necesitas oír, pero esto es lo que a mí me habría ayudado al principio: no tienes que contárselo a todo el mundo. Yo tardé años en decírselo a mis padres y no pasa nada. Busca un abogado que te hable claro y sin prisa, aunque te dé miedo la respuesta. Y si un día no puedes más, no significa que no vayas a poder mañana. Un pie delante del otro. A mí me funciona escribir. A lo mejor a ti no. Prueba cosas. No estás sola, aunque a las tres de la mañana lo parezca.”

“I was sure I'd never feel normal again. I was wrong. I made a safety plan with my support worker and keep it in my bag. Keep going, even slowly.”

“Hey, I'm not far ahead of you. I reported mine and it went nowhere, and that hurt worse than I expected. But I'm still here, still sewing badly and walking by the sea. If you're waiting on a court date or just waiting for the day to feel normal, it's slow. Find one thing that keeps your hands busy. Find one person who doesn't need the whole story. That's what's working for me, most days.”