Rape is an unforgivable crime as it takes away the survivor’s voice. Giving the rape survivor their voice
back is very hard, especially if they’re family. The first step in giving them back their voice is with
compassion.
Let them know that they are not alone, that you believe them, and that you will stand with them no matter what. This means pushing aside any judgmental feelings you might have. Helping rape survivors find their voice takes time, months maybe even years.
This means you have to have patience. Of course, it is important for rape survivors to go to the police. This is one of the most difficult things to do, but rape survivors must make their attacker accountable if they are to regain their voice.
Next is that there are professionals who can help. These individuals are trained in giving rape survivors their voices back with the same compassion that you are giving. So look for those resources in your area. If nothing can be found in
your area, you can look towards the
National Sexual Assault Hotline and other resources over at
https://www.rainn.org/resources
