I am a victim or survivor

Support Available to You

We have trained staff who have specialist knowledge in responding to the needs of victims and survivors of sexual abuse. The support we offer is very much led by the needs of the victim or survivor and we will ensure you are completely in control.

What happened to you was not your fault, the person who abused you may have made you feel as if you are to blame for their actions, but you are not to blame. We can help you to understand what has happened and to understand the trauma you have experienced. This can help you understand the impact this has had on your day-to-day life and help you to free yourself from the cycle of self-blame.

We can also help with understanding professionals’ actions, strategies for parents and carers and can offer more practical support such as attending meetings, assessing information held about you, making complaints and advocating for services.

If you are a victim or survivor of Technology-Assisted Child Sexual Abuse and would like to speak to somebody or need support with what was done to you, please get in touch with us.

MCF Lived Experience Group

At the Marie Collins Foundation (MCF) we put victims and survivors at the heart of everything we do. We believe that the best way to improve the response to victims and survivors of technology-assisted child sexual abuse is to listen to, and act on, the voices of those with lived life experience.

We work hard to incorporate these voices throughout the organisation. Our Head of Advocacy, Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, is a survivor herself and her main responsibilities include ensuring that the voices of victims and survivors are heard, both within all of the work we do here at MCF and also more broadly across the different organisations working in the area of Technology-Assisted Child Sexual Abuse.

Guidance around victims and survivors sharing their experiences publicly

We currently have a small network of victims and survivors who work alongside us on different projects, co-ordinated by Rhiannon-Faye. The Lived Experience Group guides MCF in our work to support victims and survivors, informs our approach to specific issues, and contributes to the creation of the resources and training we offer. With our support, the group also work alongside other organisations to raise awareness, inform policy and practice, and contribute to the development of research, training and resources.

Taking care of those working with us is our highest priority. All of this work is done in a way that puts their needs first. They have access to support from the MCF team at all times and they are paid for their time and expertise.

Join us!

If you are a victim or survivor of Child Sexual Abuse and would like to be part of our Lived Experience Group, please reach out to us. You might already speak publicly about your experiences, or maybe you're just curious and think it might be something you would be interested in doing.

Email us at help@mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk and we would be happy to have a chat with you about it.