How do people heal from injustice?

Learning to live with and heal from injustice is part of the path for most people who experience sexual violence or relationship abuse. This is an age-old path. One travelled by many before us, and many after us. Can we ease our own journey by gathering together to listen, to share, and to make space for our collective wisdom to emerge? 

This 90 minute online video call will be hosted by Nina and Cynthia from The Consent Collective and will use The Circle Way as a way of gathering together. This approach makes space for everyone to be heard in a way that is gentle and truly about community. You may wish to find out more about Circle Way before attending (click here). Circles are interactive. This isn't the kind of event where you can sit back and not participate, so if you join us please come willing to contribute to the discussion.

Before signing up to this event please read all of this information as by signing up you are agreeing to everything below:

This event is for people who are on a healing journey as the result of sexual violence or relationship abuse. Sometimes we're on that path because of abuse we've experienced ourselves. Sometimes we're on that path because of the pain experienced by people in our lives. Whether you arrive with us because of sexual violence or relationship abuse that you've experienced yourself, or because of abuse experienced by someone else, at no point will you be asked to give details of any abuse. This circle is about healing.

This event is not a therapy session and should not be used as a substitute for any mental health support you may need. Think of it as a very rich version of a focus group. We are gathering around a question (How do people heal from injustice?) and we are seeking wisdom in relation to that question.

This event is not about any legal or complaints process and it is not about achieving justice through those processes. It's about healing our bodies, minds, hearts and communities from injustice in its widest sense.

This event is only open to people who are aged 18 and over.

This event is open to people of all genders.   

This event will be held via Zoom. The dial-in links will be sent to you nearer the time. If you're new to using Zoom this article will help you connect with the call. We will expect everyone attending to turn on their video cameras during the call and we ask that people use headphones if the call can be overheard by others in the space they are joining from.

We will only be a small group - around 6-12 people in total. If you book a place but find that you cannot attend nearer the time please let us know so that someone else might have your place. 

These are the agreements we will use as part of this circle:

• We agree that any personal material that is shared is confidential and will be kept within the group. We also agree to respect the privacy of people who are not part of this circle as and when we are talking about others by avoiding using names and identifying information where possible.
• We listen with compassion and curiosity. We listen without judging, or feeling the need to comment, fix, or give advice. We do this because we honour the journey that every individual is on and the central role of their own inner wisdom on that journey.
• We agree to ask for what we need and give what we can.
• We agree to the pause. Anyone in the group can call a pause at any moment. We see the pause as a necessary part of the conversation. It gives us a moment to think, to settle, to re-centre ourselves, and to make space for the wisdom that is often located in the quieter parts of our minds.
• We agree to be mindful of what we share and how we share it. We understand that the centre of this circle is healing and we agree to be called back to that centre by anyone in the group. If someone calls a pause whilst we are talking we will recognise that as them holding the shape of the circle, rather than them silencing us.
• We trust that whoever shows up and whatever shows up in this circle is as it should be. 

This event is part of our continuing journey as we travel around the UK with the intention of eventually opening a retreat centre for survivors of sexual and relationship abuse. If you'd like to find out more about our journey click here.

We're offering this event free of charge but we are not a charity and we do not recieve any funding for our work. We choose to trust in our community. If you're able to, please consider signing up for a course (our online retreat 'How do people heal from trauma?' is a great resource for anyone who is looking to support their own wellbeing), buying a book, or buying some of our clothing to support our work and help us deliver awesome events like this for free.