Karim Bukhadurov from Great.com interviewed WEAVE as part of their ‘Great.com Talks With…’ podcast. This series is an antidote to negative news stories that aims to shed light on organizations and experts whose work is making a positive impact on the world.

Why so Many Sexual Assault Crimes Go Unreported and How to Change This

Domestic violence rates are now higher than ever. Exacerbated by the widespread lockdown, people have been literally trapped inside their own homes with their abuser. Woven into this topic though, are a myriad of complexities which often result in crimes remaining unreported. Victims deal with shame, guilt and embarrassment; often there are no witnesses and thus victims can think that their stories will not be believed. On top of this, navigating the legal system in order to seek justice is fraught with it’s own trauma and emotional lengthy journey. In this episode, we spoke with Beth Hassett from WEAVE about their work to break the cycle of violence by educating communities to better understand the issues surrounding sexual assault and domestic abuse. 

Holistic Support That Breaks the Cycle of Violence and Abuse

Abuse comes in many different shapes and forms – physical violence, sexual violation, emotional, spiritual – which is why WEAVE are dedicated to tackle the systematic roots of these issues as well as providing holistic support for survivors. WEAVES services focus on individual and group therapeutic counselling to help people navigate through the trauma they have experienced. They also offer legal services, protective measures, a residential program and transitional housing where people can stay up to two years. Beth explains how essential it is to offer extensive support which allows the individual to regain their sense of control, self-esteem and safety in the world; rebuilding their lives and overcoming their traumas in their own time.

“We’re meeting basic needs and trying to help people be on a good footing when they leave…continuing education, getting set up with a new job…whatever the survivor has identified as what they need to be strong and safe, more resilient and ready to move through their life and not become a victim or perpetrator themselves.”

Listen to the whole interview to find out how you can raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence; helping to remove the stigma of reporting violent crimes. You can also visit WEAVE’s website for essential help services, important resources and ways that you can get involved. 

Great.com is a philanthropic project working to fix the global climate crisis. They believe this is the largest problem facing mankind and know that it will take quick and creative action to solve it. Erik Bergman is the founder of Great.com, and he made his name by building one of the most successful businesses in the online casino industry. He’s taking all his gambling knowledge and experience and putting it into Great.com, which is designed to generate profit as an online casino affiliate 100% of which will be donated to climate research.