A support group for incest victims in Rouen: “It helps to know that we are not alone”
Through Mathieu Normand
Published on
UN support group for incest victims will soon see the light of day at Rouen (Seine-Maritime). Linked to the creation of a local branch of the Arévi association, it will meet for the first time on October 20, 2021. The initiative is led by Lucie *. This Rouennaise discovered support groups during the health crisis. “I tried to participate in a group, but in Rouen there was none,” she says. She then found an alternative solution by participating in the Parisian groups set up by Arévi remotely.
“Without the Covid, there wouldn’t have been one. Someone said to me: ‘It’s up to you to open one in Rouen, so that you can help other people.’ That clicked. She embarked on the adventure.
“We don’t come to tell details”
To participate in the support group, you must be of legal age. “You must also have been a victim of incest yourself, without having become an abuser, even if you have been a victim,” explains Lucie. The person may have suffered incest and may not be sure, have some doubts. “Incest, in Arévi’s words, is not limited to the family in the proper sense, but to a trusted person,” a loved one, a sports trainer, a priest, a nanny, his son, etc. “
Each session is supervised by a moderator. Participants, of all ages, share with him the themes they would like to address. He recalls them in the introduction, but the framework remains free. “We don’t just tell details of what happened to us, but rather talk about ourselves today, the difficulties we have in connection with that, the evolutions, the questions, the procedures. “
Everyone listens and speaks in turn, if they wish, focusing on their experience, without judging, cutting or advising the other participants. “Speech is liberating and testimonies resonate in us. It helps to know that you are not alone and to become aware of certain things, to understand your own history through that of others. It is really poignant. “
Three planned dates
Everything is organized with reserve and with total respect for anonymity. “You don’t have to give your first name. You can come once like several, there is no obligation. At the exit, it is reminded that if two participants meet in everyday life, they can greet each other and talk about the group only if both agree with this idea. ”
For now, Lucie has found a place that is “welcoming, intimate and safe »Where to receive participants Fabalab in Bihorel, in the chapire district. Three dates are scheduled: one in October, one in November, one in December. “I would like to suggest two dates per month. It is also possible to participate remotely in Parisian groups. You must not feel afraid. The screen barrier sometimes even makes things easier for some people. “
For more information on the support group, contact the address [email protected] or consult the Facebook page of the local Arévi branch.
* The first name has been changed
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