TALK & SILENCE
Many victim-survivors of violence and abuse are silent or are silenced.
"Less than 40 per cent of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort. In the majority of countries with available data on this issue, among women who do seek help, most look to family and friends and very few look to formal institutions, such as police and health services. Fewer than 10 per cent of those seeking help reported to the police [11]." [UN Women]
"Responses don’t ‘start’ when someone ‘tells’ us something. We have been responding all along (directly or indirectly) through our stance, our silence, our action or inaction about violence and abuse. We are responders even when nothing is told to us." [Talk]
'Talk' is a reflection resource designed to reveal and value the strategic considerations of victim-survivors when deciding if, when and how to tell someone about experiences of violence and abuse.
We invite you to read the booklet TALK
"I can see now and appreciate that I have been methodical in learning, becoming educated about what works and what doesn't. I know what not to waste my energy on. All these things I learned alone, from the mistakes I have made and from being shut down. So many people providing services don't have knowledge of domestic violence and don't understand your situation. But their awareness affects their treatment of you. It’s exhausting, trying to explain and not being understood."
Voices of Insight | Sally