LGBTQIA+, MVPFAFF+, Takatāpui survivors
The Survivor Experiences Service aims to provide a safe, supportive and confidential place for the rainbow community to share your experiences of abuse in care. This includes, but is not limited to, transphobic, biphobic, homophobic or interphobic abuse.
We understand that discriminatory attitudes and behaviours towards the rainbow community while in care have had a profound impact, causing lasting harm to those targeted.
The Service aims to alleviate the ongoing impacts of abuse in care for the LGBTQIA+, MVPFAFF+, Takatāpui community by letting people be themselves in private sessions and in their engagements with us. We have team members who are within the rainbow community, and always ask people before sessions if they have any gender preference and identity considerations.
We support people who experienced abuse within faith-based Institutions (e.g. Jehovahs Witness, Exclusive Brethren) plus any other state-care or other forms of care – both historical and modern-day.
We support people who have experienced different types of abuse, including behaviours that may not been seen as “traditional abuse”. This includes transphobic, biphobic, homophobic or interphobic microaggressions, neglect and alienation, loss of family and ongoing relationships, restraint and seclusion, lack of education, lack of privacy, loss of culture and cultural abuse.
We are receptive and value input from the rainbow community to understand how to make the service as accessible as possible. We welcome discussion to better navigate this space for LGBTQIA+, MVPFAFF+, Takatāpui people.