Shushbox - For survivors of sexual violence

 
My name is Sunita and I am the founder of Shushbox, The Sexual Wellness Platform for women who have experienced sexual violence. 

What is Sexual Violence?

Sexual violence is the general term used to describe any kind of unwanted sexual act or activity, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, child sexual abuse, amongst many others.

Sexual violence occurs throughout the world. Although in most countries there has been little research conducted on the problem, available data via WHO suggest that in some countries nearly one in four women may experience sexual violence by an intimate partner, and up to one-third of adolescent girls report their first sexual experience as being forced. 

In  the US , 1 in 6 women has been a victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. In the UK  20% of women experience some type of sexual assault since the age of 16.  31% of young women aged 18-24 report having experienced sexual abuse in childhood. In Australia , 17% of women have experience sexual violence (assault or threats). In Canada 30% of all women aged 15 and older - some 4.7 million - were victims of sexual assault outside of an intimate relationship at least once since the age of 15 last year.




There's no doubt that this is an ongoing issue and there are many survivors out there now who may be feeling misunderstood, lost and struggling alone. Firstly, to those women, I just want to say that I see you, I hear you and I believe you. The trauma you have experienced is not your fault. 100% of the responsibility for sexual violence lies with its perpetrator(s). There is no excuse for sexual violence; it can never be justified or explained away. Never forget that.

Why is this important to me?

Supporting survivors of sexual violence is very important to me as this is something that has affected me, it's affected women close to me and it's affecting women all over the world, on a daily basis. 

Sadly we live in society where it is still uncomfortable and awkward to have conversations or address the issue of sexual violence, resulting in many survivors suffering in silence every single day. I know this, because I've experienced this.  Each survivor reacts to sexual violence in their own unique way. Some express their emotions while others prefer to keep their feelings inside. Some may tell others right away about what happened, others will wait weeks, months, or even years before discussing the sexual violence, if they ever choose to.

There is no wrong or right way to respond to these traumas. From my own personal experience I can say that opening up and having those uncomfortable conversations, alongside doing my own inner healing work, has been completely liberating. It has allowed me to not only understand myself better and own my story, but to want to inspire others to find strength in theirs too. 

What is the Shushbox digital platform?


After spending the past few months speaking with other survivors of sexual violence, we have put together the following platform concept based on our conversations on content that would be helpful. 

Our aim for Shushbox, the digital platform, is to create a shame-free safe space for survivors of sexual violence to express ourselves, connect with other survivors, find resources for healing & ultimately feel empowered. It's also a place of celebration.  Although at times it might seem otherwise, these trauma's don't define us. They don't take away our power. We deserve to be celebrated and that's what we'll do at Shushbox. 

What content will we be covering?

At Shushbox we respect each person’s choices and style of coping with these traumatic events, as they are personal to each individual. There are  a wide range of psychological, emotional and physical reactions that can impact survivors. These  aren’t always easy to deal with, but with the right help and support they can be managed. We want to deliver digestible and informed content that can help.  


We will be opening the box and having the conversations on those 'taboo' topics we are often made to feel we can't talk about. We'll have community group chats and live conversations where you can ask those questions, connect with experts plus hear from other survivors about their own journeys .  


 
We'll also be providing resources for healing and self care practices, including journal prompts, guided audio meditations and sensuality tutorials to re-connect to the body.




In addition to this we will be providing survivors with a database of practitioners from  across the world who can help support in the next steps of their self care healing journey. From Reiki Healers, Intimacy Coaches to Creative Writing workshops, we want to make sure we provide an inclusive, accessible and diverse range of support to suit each survivors needs.



Where will your donation go?

Your donation would help us to bring this platform to life and offer this space to survivors. Funds will be used to build the platform, collaborate with global practitioners and set the wheels in motion on this project. With funds secured by the end of  2020 we hope to launch the first version of the platform in April 2021. 

Other ways you can you help?

I hope you can join me on this journey in helping survivors of sexual violence . Your contribution would mean so much, no matter the amount. Every little counts! 

If you are unable to make a donation please do share this page so we can continue to spread the message.

If you are a survivor, you can also register your interest in the platform via our website , where we have a waitlist which you can sign up to and stay updated on our progress. You can also find us on Instagram where we are already growing our community and covering conversations around healing, self care and empowerment. 

Creating Shushbox has been a very personal journey for me so far, as it has been a part of my own healing journey. Through the initial platform research it has already connected me to so many amazing and inspiring survivors from all over the world... and this is just the beginning.  

Sunita x