Calls pour in to abuse helpline

More than 1200 people have called a new sexual harm helpline, with the majority of them teenagers.

Safe to Talk officially launched on June 1, after starting as a trial in Canterbury from February 19.

It provides text, phone and email support for survivors of sexual assault and harassment, and is staffed by experienced sexual trauma professionals.

Clinical lead Dr Siale Foliaki said they hoped the anonymity of the service would help those who otherwise would stay silent.

“I think the area of sexual harm is [a really difficult] area. If a person has been exposed to that type of harm, often seeking help can be really complicated.

“One of the things we were hoping for was that contact, without being face-to-face, could give increased access.

“Because there is privacy that allows people to make contact, and lead them to maybe later engage in face-to-face work, addressing the harm that occurred in their life.”

Foliaki said many sexual assault survivors felt ashamed, and also wanted to protect loved ones from knowing what had happened.

This could make it very difficult to speak about it without the shield of anonymity.

“For some people the mere fact of being able to share their experience leads to an increase in overall wellbeing, and then they’re able to [seek] further help,” he said.

“About 6 per cent of people have been exposed to more severe sexual harm. That’s tens of thousands of New Zealanders.”

Of the people who have called the helpline in its first month, the most commonly reported issue was historic sexual abuse.

Women were 83 per cent of callers, and men 17 per cent.

The most common age group was 13- to 19-year-olds, followed by 40- to 44-year-olds.

Some called the helpline with concerns for another person. Safe to talk is available for free 24/7. Call 0800 044 334, text 4334, email support@safetotalk.nz. For more information go to safetotalk.nz