Secondary Survivor

STSM offers support groups to secondary survivors, including spouses, parents, other family members, and significant others of the survivor. Groups are open to secondary survivors even if the primary survivor if not participating in counseling at this time. STSM designed groups to provide a safe, supportive environment where secondary survivors can share the impact of the assault/abuse on their lives, discuss immediate concerns, gain coping skills and learn how to provide healthy support to the survivor.

Topics include the following:

• Communicating with the survivor
• Impact of sexual violence
• Short term and long term effects of sexual abuse and assault
• Effects of assault on a secondary survivor
• Self care