- Get Help
- Help for students
- Help for faculty and staff
- Make a report
- Relationship Violence
- Resources for respondents
- Self care
- Translated SVSPO Brochures
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Phone and Video Guidelines
- Supporting Survivors
- Education & Prevention
- Request a Workshop
- Active Bystander Network
- InterroBang
- Definitions
- Consent Matters
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Safe(r) Party Initiative
- Active Bystander Intervention
- December 6
- ARThrive
- Blog
- ACTIVE BYSTANDER
- CONSENT
- Yes, No, Maybe So: The Inner Workings of Consent
- Sextortion
- Yes/No/Maybe Checklist
- Cyberconsent and How to Practice Consent Online
- Curious About Consent?
- The importance of pronouns
- Sexting: tips on staying safe(r)
- A Conversation on Cyberconsent
- Are Tea and Consent Simple?
- Consent Is Not Cancelled
- How We Can Contribute to Consent Culture Every Day
- Yes Means Yassss: Improving Consent Education Among Queer Men
- Isn’t that kind of…unsexy?
- My Ode to You
- Back to School 101: 5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Consent
- Sexual Violence in Intimate Relationships
- Why Consent Matters
- CULTURE, SUPPORT, AND CARE
- InterroBang: A new game to get to know yourself and others
- Content Notes: From Either/Or to Both/And
- The STEM Gender Gap in Focus
- Moving Past COVID
- Top 6 podcasts you should listen to
- Guide to BIPOC Support Services
- Why are Women in STEM Still Unsafe? Commemorating L'École Polytechnique Massacre With Action
- Boundary-Setting In The Age Of COVID
- Tips for survivors who might find wearing a mask challenging: Tips and tricks during COVID-19
- Plain Language Resource Sheets for Survivors & Respondents
- Your First SFU Policy Summary: GP 44 Policy in Plain Language
- Do You Even Cry, Bro? - Canadian healthy masculinity programs
- From “boys will be boys” to “boys can be…”: Some thoughts on masculinity
- Supporting Someone By Listening
- Women Deliver Mobilization: A World and Relationships with Gender-Based Violence
- Self-care Tips for Survivors
- Transformative Justice and Community Accountability: Changing behavior and justice
- What does gender equality look like in 2019?
- Working Towards a Culture of Care and Support Within Your Community
- Dear SFU faculty: It's on all of us to respond to sexual violence
- Understanding Sexual Violence: A Graduate Student's Perspective
- SFU Athletics Listen Believe Empower Campaign
- A Conversation with Lorelei Williams about Modern Day Colonialism
- HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
- SAFE(R) PARTYING
- Faculty
- About Us
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- Leave Site Now
Responding to Disclosures
Download your copy of our Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence Guide.
If you work directly with International students, our Guide to Supporting International Students Impacted by Sexual Violence may also be helpful.
How to Help
LISTEN
- Be patient, let them take their time to tell you what happened.
- Mirror their language by using terms they use.
- Don't press for unnecessary information, for example don't ask if they were drinking or what they were wearing.
BELIEVE
- Many Survivors blame themselves or fear they will not be believed.
- Validate their feelings and let them know that it is not their fault, for example:
- "It's not your fault."
- "Thank you for sharing this with me."
- "I believe you."
EMPOWER
- Ask them what they need.
- Connect them with the support resources of their choice
- You may encourage them to seek support but don't insist.
- Empower the Survivor to choose what happens next, on their own terms.
FOLLOW UP
- If you are able, continue to check in with them to see how they are doing.
SELF-CARE
- Being a support person is an important role that may bring up a variety of emotions. Your feelings are valid. If you have survived sexual violence yourself, the disclosure may bring back memories. It is important to acknowledge and tend to your own needs.
- It is also important to be realistic about your capacity. If you do not think you are able to support the survivor at this time, you can help them find others who are.
- Seek relevant support for yourself.
CONNECT
- You are strongly encouraged to connect with the SVSPO after you receive a disclosure. They can provide you with advice, resources and additional support. Learn about our coordinated sexual violence support services here.
- The SVSPO will respect the Survivor's confidentiality as per GP 44: Sexual Violence and Misconduct Prevention, Education, and Support Policy.