Tearfund works with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) primarily through the Journey to Healing programme.
Journey to Healing is a survivor-centred approach which was co-developed with survivors in South Africa. It is a peer-to-peer support group model and creates a supportive environment for healing which acknowledges and respects survivors’ agency, autonomy and decision-making potential. It creates safe spaces for survivors to speak out and overcome trauma: a journey from fear to courage, from self-doubt to confidence about their future.
The approach primarily supports female survivors but can be adapted for use with male survivors, who may face additional stigma.
There are two manuals that assist the Journey to Healing approach. A shared journey is a training manual to equip champions to walk with survivors. Out of the shadows is a champion’s guide to facilitating survivor groups.
The quick guide gives an overview of the whole approach and summarises the key steps in the healing process.
Research in several countries aided the development of Journey to Healing. Breaking the Silence gave Tearfund a better understanding of survivors’ challenges, whilst Are We Listening to Survivors centred survivors experiences in the development of the programme.
