We are excited to announce that The Survivors Trust is creating a Live Chat Service to make it easier for individuals who have experienced sexual violence or abuse to access support and information.

To raise money for this new service, we have partnered with Emma Corrin, star of The Crown, to raffle the actress’s bespoke Miu Miu dress. You can purchase a ticket for £10 to enter the raffle here. Ticket proceeds from the raffle will go towards funding our new Live Chat, which will launch later this year. We understand that this year has been tough for many, so if you are unable to donate, there is also an option to enter for free via a postal vote (details on raffle site). 

Earlier this week, Emma told Harper's Bazaar why she wanted to donate her dress to The Survivors Trust, 

"I wanted the outfit to keep on giving and with the raffle it means that it wasn’t just made for one evening - it will make a difference and give a charity the money it needs to provide crucial help."

Why is a Live Chat service so important?

Now, more than ever, we can see the impact of sexual abuse and violence in society. Calls to our helpline have increased by 174% compared to this time last year. The helpline does an incredible job at providing thousands of survivors with emotional support, information or simply a kind, empathetic person to speak to, and this service has been vital to many survivors throughout the pandemic. However, we know survivors deserve more!

We understand talking on the phone can be daunting at the best of times. For individuals who are dealing with the impact of trauma, or are feeling emotionally overwhelmed, it can be even harder to navigate your thoughts and say these out loud. This is just one of the reasons why having a Live Chat option for survivors is so important.

The introduction of the Live Chat Service will aim improve accessibility to emotional support and information for anyone affected by sexual abuse or sexual violence. It will achieve this by:

• Offering a more discrete way for survivors to seek information and support. It has been evident during lockdown that not everyone has a safe, quiet space for private conversations. Live Chat will help survivors who don't have a quiet space to talk to still access vital support. Being able to share concerns and seek information by typing rather than talking out loud will be really valuable for many.
• Improving accessibility for deaf callers, individuals who may have speech problems, or any other challenges which make talking on the phone difficult, because all survivors deserve access to support and information.
• Providing an easier, more comfortable way to express feelings and concerns. Seeking information or support about sexual violence or abuse is incredibly personal. Many survivors may experience feelings of shame around want has happened and may not feel comfortable speaking openly about what they have experienced. Not having to say things out loud helps breakdown this barrier and can make communication easier for many.

As you can see by creating a Live Chat option for survivors it will help more people affected by sexual violence and abuse reach out to access the information and support they need.

Don’t miss you chance to win! Enter the raffle and help fund the Live Chat Service here.

*Entries close at 8pm on Sunday 28^th March. The winner will be notified by email shortly after.

**To enter you must be aged 18 or over and be living in England, Wales or Scotland.