Personal counselling / psychotherapy

Our services are available for

• Women and girls aged 16+ who are experiencing or have survived sexual abuse.
• Women and girls aged 16+ who are experiencing or have survived domestic abuse. This service is only available in the Plön centre (KIK). In Kiel please contact the Lerche centre (Tel. 0431-675478).
• Individuals and professionals who require information and counselling for themselves or for women affected by violence.

You can come and talk to us regardless of:

• How long ago the abuse was or whether the abuse is on-going
• How certain or uncertain you are that you have experienced or are experiencing sexual abuse or domestic violence
• Whether or not you want to file a police report or have already done so
• Whether the sexual abuse took place within a relationship or not

Our services include:

• Telephone and / or personal counselling
• Crisis intervention
• Trauma-specific psychotherapy (in Kiel)
• Information, e.g. about medical examinations, filing a police report, legal procedures etc.
• Suggesting lawyers, therapists, medical professionals, clinics etc.
• Accompanying women to the police, forensic examinations, medical professional, public authorities etc.
• Advice on the EHS fund (Fonds Sexueller Missbrauch) and OEG
• Psychosocial court advocacy during court proceedings and hearings
• Special services for women who receive welfare or benefits
• Group sessions (support groups, professionally-led groups on the topic of sexual violence)

These services are free of charge; on request women and girls can be counselled anonymously.
In the initial telephone call we establish the issue, your needs and the expectations you have. We can provide counselling over a longer period of time. If requested, you can bring a person you trust to the first meeting.

The principles of our counselling work

Partisanship
We take the needs and concerns of the women and girls who come to us seriously and are on their side. Responsibility for the abuse always lies with the perpetrator.

Women-friendly
We support and encourage women and girls to believe in themselves and build their strengths and skills.

Feminist
We do not view sexual abuse or violence as aggressively expressed sexuality; it is aggression that is expressed through sexuality and is a demonstration of power and control that aims to subjugate and punish women. For us, women’s and girls’ crises and mental difficulties are coping strategies that are the result of the social discrimination of women.

A space for women
We intentionally work in a space created by women for women, to which men are not admitted. If the woman or girl wishes to bring a male person of trust with her, we will always use one of the other rooms in the building.

Self-determination
Our counselling services follow the issues that the woman or girl identifies as being most important for her. She determines the aim and the focus of the counselling sessions and can speak about the abuse or violence she has experienced, but she does not have to.