Sexual violence is a violation of a person’s sexuality, self-determination and privacy. A sense of security is a key element of trust, which is violated in acts of harassment and violence.
Sexual violence is particularly traumatising because violations of a person’s sexuality are violations of their whole sense of humanity. In sex, the partners engage in acts that are voluntary and produce pleasure. Whereas in sexual violence, the acts are forms of exercising power and force and causing fear.
Sexual violence causes the victim to feel guilty and ashamed. This often leads to secrecy, which is why victims do not always feel safe to seek and ask for help. Violence is always the perpetrator’s fault, and the perpetrator is responsible for it. No situation or choices justify violence against another person.
Anyone can be a victim of sexual violence, but most often, it is targeted at women. Sexual violence is often domestic violence, but the perpetrator of sexual violence may also be unknown to the victim. Nollalinja also provides support and discussion assistance for experiences of sexual violence.
Help for victims of sexual violence from Seri Support Centre
The Seri Support Centres offer support to anyone older than 16 who has experienced sexual violence, regardless of gender. The support centre services are free of charge for the client.
You can come to the support centre by yourself, with a family member or friend or as instructed by an authority. Reporting the crime to the police is not required for coming the support centre, but reporting is encouraged and help is available for it.
The Seri Support Centres provide forensic examinations, trauma support, psychological counselling and therapy or referrals to therapy, if necessary.
There are Seri Support Centres in several locations in Finland. You can find an updated list of the centres’ contact information at www.thl.fi/seri (in Finnish).