The Survivor Hub hosts in-person and online peer support groups, called ‘MeetUps’. At MeetUps, survivors can connect with each other to ask questions, express concerns, vent, learn and heal.

Most importantly, MeetUps are safe spaces and exist to assure survivors that they aren’t alone and offer a sense of community through the highs and lows of their healing journeys. Our MeetUps show survivors that they can and will get through it, because their peers have too.

MeetUps are also intended to be a space in which lived experience can be shared, with the goal of helping others. Our goal is that participants leave MeetUps feeling better than they came - feeling supported, valid, believed and assured that they will get through it. Our MeetUps empower survivors to make informed decisions about what is right for them.

Having a safe community is an essential part of the healing process, and we seek to build together.

Conversations at MeetUps are peer-led. This means that fellow survivors facilitate the groups. Discussion topics are led by you and your peers – we talk about whatever you want to talk about, as long as it abides by our rules (see below).

Common discussion topics include: relationships and intimacy after sexual assault, reactions of friends or family to disclosures, feelings about perpetrators, therapy options and recognition payments.

You may not want advice, or to feel like starting a discussion; that's completely fine! You may just want to vent, or sit and take it all in. Whatever you have to say (or not say), we would be honoured to listen and just have you present!

MeetUps are open to all survivors aged 16 or older. This includes survivors of child and adult sexual assault.

Survivors of all gender, sexuality, religious, cultural, ethnic and age diversity are welcome to attend.

We also welcome survivors at any stage of the healing process. Whether they are yet to report to the police, have reported, or have decided that they will not report.

Participants are welcome to bring a support person with them to MeetUps.

Around 6-10 people attend each MeetUp. For most of our MeetUps, a specialist trauma counsellor and/or social worker will also present to provide further support.

All of our MeetUps have a finish time to ensure participants can leave when they expect to. However, participants are welcome to stay back and chat to one another for the next 15-30 minutes. Due to the nature of the small groups, there are many strong friendships forged during MeetUps. Participants often spend time together afterwards and are welcome to connect outside of MeetUps.

Additionally, participants are also welcome to speak privately with any of the Survivor Hub team if there are any further questions or would like additional support. We foster trusting relationships with participants so that everyone feels comfortable telling our team if they need additional support. While we are not a counselling service, we can always refer participants to support services that we know and use. Participants can also access our online Facebook forum for instant connection with other survivors.

There are also helplines available at Full Stop Australia, Lifeline and more.

1. Privacy: MeetUps are safe spaces to share and heal. What people share in MeetUps must stay in MeetUps. Please respect the privacy of all participants, do not tell their story to others. If you have mutual friends with a participant, you may not tell the mutual friends that the participant has attended a MeetUp. Attending a MeetUp is a private and personal decision, and to create a safe space we must ensure that everything that happens in a MeetUp stays in the MeetUp.

2. Respect: MeetUps are spaces for survivors to feel supported and heard. Please respect this by using respectful language and giving everyone a chance to be heard. This also includes not using language that victim-blames or otherwise disrespects other survivors.

3. Mindfulness: Please be aware that all participants of MeetUps are survivors and may be triggered by any details you share. To avoid triggering people, we don't share explicit details of assaults or talk about our experiences in a way that might cause harm to others.