Sexual Violence is defined as any forced sexual contact or attention without consent. It can be verbal, physical or of various types (such as gestures, online contact, unwanted exposure to sexual images, etc.) Each individual is impacted by the experience in a unique way, and their coping mechanisms depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to personal life experiences, the type of violence experienced, history of prior traumas, and the level of social support available after the violence has ended. One such coping mechanism, frequently mentioned as essential, is connecting with others who have been through a similar experience.
TIAKI is an online platform which seeks to help survivors of sexual violence in two ways:
First, by connecting survivors of sexual violence. One of the most effective ways to recover from the effects of sexual violence is to connect with others and share thoughts and emotions related to the experience. By connecting survivors through shared experience, the trauma and its confinement can be greatly diluted, as they discover they are not alone.
Second, by breaking the cycle of abuse of repeat offenders. Perpetrators rarely act in isolated incidents and therefore it is only a matter of time before they engage in sexually violent behavior again. A survivor’s feelings of isolation, shame, secrecy, and stigmatization can override their motivation to take action.
TIAKI aims to help survivors cope with their situation and to encourage them to take action against their perpetrator before they do it again.