I’m going to walk 50km in a day for Axis Counselling because of the support they gave me

In 2021 I started a course of counselling aimed at providing me with support in relation to the sexual trauma I have experienced.

Honestly, when I was  offered the appointments after being on a waiting list, I really wasn’t sure I wanted them. I felt like my life had moved on. However I thought to myself, “past me thought this was a good idea, maybe it still is”.

So I took the trauma therapy course, and I am SO grateful I did.

If I could sum up the biggest thing that I learnt, it would be:

That my responses to trauma are natural.

I’m still finding it difficult to say, yep that happened to me, so this admission in itself is quite a big deal.

I’m really hoping that you can understand how amazing it is to have a service available like this, to be completely free.

It would make me so happy if you can and are able to donate.

To donate to Rachel’s Peak District 50km Walk in a Day. You can donate here

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rachel-cotton1

Thank you.

 

There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape

For the past 22 years, Peace Over Violence has run an inspiring and powerful opportunity to practice solidarity and support survivors by renewing our commitment to exposing harmful behaviors and attitudes surrounding sexual violence. Denim Day is a campaign in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, what started as a local campaign to bring awareness to victim blaming and destructive myths that surround sexual violence has grown into a movement. As the longest running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history, Denim Day asks community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.

Denim Day is April 28, 2021!

We’d like to send a huge thank you to Laura from @LAURASLADIESART for her kind donation of this stunning and unique original work of art titled “Storm Behind Me”.

We can’t wait to get back to the office so that we can hang it in one of our counselling rooms!

 

 

I was brought up in a very loving family and was only slightly aware that others were not so lucky.

As I grew up this awareness increased but it was not until recently that I came to understand how awful a childhood can be.

I met a guy at work who told me of his experiences growing up and how he was abused.  This led to an angry confrontational lifestyle, a downward spiral into fighting, physical injuries, drug abuse and massive psychological scars leading to a number of suicide attempts from the age of 7.

Dave told me a small part of his story after it was suggested he share his experiences by the counsellor he sees.  Dave started attending Axis Counselling four years ago who have made a massive difference to his life.  He now understands his PTSD, its triggers and root causes, and is able to function sociably with the help of the counselling and medication.  He is now also in a loving relationship himself.

Without the counselling Dave doesn’t know if he would be with us today.

After hearing Dave’s story, I resolved to undertake the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge to raise funds for this charity so that Axis Counselling can help other desperate people who are in the position Dave was or have had even worst experiences.

Axis Counselling supports victims of non-recent (historical) Sexual abuse; any form of sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual exploitation or rape.  They do this for boys or girls over the age of 5.

If you can afford to sponsor me, I can assure you that the money raised will make a big difference in the well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in society.  It will help people understand what has happened to them, that this wasn’t their fault, and give them the ability to cope with their lives and to know that people do care.

To Donate to Dave’s Story: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davewebbiow