At Safe Helpline, we are committed to supporting survivors of sexual assault from the Department of Defense (DoD) community as well as the SARCs, SAPR VAs, and other service providers who work with survivors every day. Safe Helpline offers trustworthy resources that you can share with survivors as well as information and tools to support your work as a responder. Below are some of our services and information about how they can support you and the survivors you work with.
Safe Helpline Services
Telephone Helpline and Online Helpline
Both the Telephone and Online Helplines provide one-on-one crisis intervention services and support to survivors, their loved ones, and anyone in the DoD community affected by sexual assault. The Telephone and Online Helplines are available 24/7, and can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Safe Helpline staff receive extensive training to support survivors and empower them to take the next step in their healing process--whatever that may be. These services work well for those looking for immediate, one-on-one support. Through the Telephone Helpline, we also offer a warm-handoff option that allows us to directly connect a survivor to:
- Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) or other responders in the Safe Helpline Responder Database.
- Civilian affiliate sexual assault service provider.
- Military OneSource Consultant (for issues not related to sexual assault).
- Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Coordinator or Veterans Health Administration (VHA) MST Coordinator.
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence (PHCoE)
To learn more about warm-handoffs, safety, and security, please visit the How it Works page.
Safe HelpRoom is an online peer-to-peer support service that offers an anonymous, confidential, space to safely connect with other military survivors. Discussions are moderated by Safe Helpline staff so you can feel comfortable knowing that the survivors you work with will be in a safe place to get support. Safe HelpRoom may be especially helpful for your clients who have filed a Restricted Report and may be feeling isolated. Safe Helpline hosts topic-specific Safe HelpRoom sessions throughout the month. To learn about upcoming sessions, please visit SafeHelpline.org/safe-helproom. Special sessions just for men are also available every Sunday from 1300-1500 ET.
In 2018, Safe Helpline launched a new program, Local Safe HelpRoom, as a tool to support the work of local SAPR programs. Local Safe HelpRoom allows D-SAACP certified SARCs or SAPR VAs (or NACP-certified Coast Guard SARCs and SAPR VAs) to host their own Local Safe HelpRoom group chats. Once trained, local moderators can offer tailored assistance for their community, choosing individual topics, convenient meeting times, specific audiences, and a discussion structure that best fits the needs of the local population and the survivors they work with. To learn more about becoming a Local Safe HelpRoom moderator, please visit the Local Safe HelpRoom webpage.
Safe Helpline Responders Near Me Database
The Responders Near Me Database consists of more than 2,500 military and civilian resources around the world. The Database is audited semi-annually and can be updated directly by personnel at the Service's SAPR/SHARP Headquarter offices. The database can help you know who to contact whether they are on your base, in your Service, or a civilian provider in your local community.
Safe Helpline conducts the Responder Verification Process (RVP) each September and March to verify the contact information in the Responders Near Me database. If you are a service provider looking to change, add, or remove contact information in the Responders Near Me database, please go through your chain of command to contact your Service SAPR/SHARP headquarters. Safe Helpline staff are not able to make these changes.
The Safe Helpline app gives you the ability to access all Safe Helpline services-- including the Telephone and Online Helplines, Safe HelpRoom, the Responder and Transitioning Service Member databases and the interactive self-care exercises--in one place. We know that working in this field can cause compassion fatigue and self-care can be a useful tool to mitigate these effects. The Safe Helpline app includes self-care exercises that can benefit survivors and support you and your staff through challenging moments. For example, the app’s deep breathing exercise can help you feel more relaxed if you are feeling nervous, overwhelmed, or tense after a difficult session with a client. Having easy access to the Responders Near Me Database and other Safe Helpline resources makes the app a great reference tool when you’re in the field. The Safe Helpline app is free and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. (Search: DoD Safe Helpline)
Safe Helpline Resources
As a responder, you understand that the effects of sexual assault are different for each survivor. Safe Helpline resources offer an overview of what psychological, emotional, and physical effects may look like after an assault. It can be helpful for a survivor to know that they are not alone in their experience. Having this information in one place can be a quick reference for you and for any of the survivors you may be working with. For more information, visit Understanding Sexual Assault or read more in the Learn section of the Safe Helpline app.
Boundaries and Healthy Relationships
Safe Helpline has created a Boundaries and Healthy Relationships resource page to educate survivors and those impacted by sexual assault about communicating individual boundaries within relationships. This is a concise and supportive resource for survivors who may be interested in learning more about maintaining healthy relationships after experiencing a sexual assault. The webpage also includes information about Safe Helpline’s crisis support services.
Safe Helpline offers six unique courses to help those looking for support or information related to sexual assault. Each course was built with a particular audience in mind, but all courses provide valuable information for anyone looking for more information. Learn more about each program at SafeHelpline.org/education.
Courses for SARCs, SAPR VAs, and other service providers:
- Safe Helpline 101
- Suicide 101: Responding to Suicidal Ideation Among Survivors of Sexual Assault
- Building Hope and Resiliency: Addressing the Effects of Sexual Assault
- Brainstorming to Support Healing
- How to Support a Survivor
Courses to support civilian service providers:
Safe Helpline Outreach Materials
We offer free outreach materials including: a communication toolkit, info-papers, printed materials, and social media content to help you easily incorporate Safe Helpline into your existing outreach and training. All materials and content are reviewed and approved by DoD SAPRO for public use. You can order or download everything you need on the Safe Helpline store. If you’re looking for something specific or have questions, please contact us at outreach@safehelpline.org.
Safe Helpline presentations help us build trust and rapport by demonstrating Safe Helpline services and providing an opportunity to ask specific questions or engage directly with a Safe Helpline staff member. To learn more about Safe Helpline's presentation offerings, please visit our Events Request page. To schedule an event, please contact us at outreach@safehelpline.org
