Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation

HELP Auckland provides free support services to survivors of sexual abuse across the Auckland region. They include a 24/7 crisis line and face-to-face counselling for children and families, teenage and adult women. Our specialist services are well-integrated with police, medical and justice services. We specialise in helping clients with particularly high and complex needs, enabling them to heal from the trauma of sexual abuse. Survivors are more likely to suffer mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse or suicidal behaviour. Our client base ranges in age from three to 70 years. We also deliver an early childhood education programme called ‘We Can Keep Safe’ that teaches children and their parents about personal safety and staying safe from sexual abuse. Our youth therapy team engages with young women in secondary schools, providing counselling, information, and support. Our youth community development programme Dear Em encourages young women and enables them to support and empower each other. Overall, we provide individual and group therapy to approximately 350 clients per year. Our therapists provide up to 5,500 therapy sessions annually. Ultimately, we are working towards a society where relationships are based on co-operation and respect, and communities are safe from sexual abuse.