I feel there have been two times in my life where I have been saved. The first time was when I finally escaped my abuser... The second time was when Horizon took me on their caseload...

I wanted to write to you, to explain what your support has meant to me. Your Horizon sexual violence support services have literally saved my life and sanity. I feel there have been two times in my life where I have been saved. The first time was when I finally escaped my abuser, and friends I never knew I had, took me in, protected me, loved me, helped me move house, looked after me.

The second time was when Horizon took me on their caseload. I was near the end of my tether, but my Horizon counsellor has helped, and continues to help, me explore my past, providing the safe, supportive and non-judgmental environment for me to start the healing process. She is helping me to grieve for the loss of 24 years of my life.

My Independent Sexual Violence Advisor [ISVA] has been my advocate since my referral, and her experience, encouragement and consistent messaging (I am filled with so much self doubt, I need things to be repeated a lot) has lifted me up in the darkest of times.

I am still fighting a battle every day, and they both help me to acknowledge this. My mental health is really fragile, I cannot sleep, my heart literally hurts – I can’t overstate this enough. But my counsellor has met with me every week; provided a listening ear. She doesn’t give me the answers, but she points me in the right direction, and in my sessions, I have had so many “oh yes, I never thought of that” moments.

My ISVA is there as and when needed; she has never let me down and her advocacy is helping me to find my voice after so many years of silence.

I suppose I just felt I needed to write this email so that Horizon know how absolutely grateful I am for the support they are giving me – I will never be able to repay this gift but I hope one day, I can make a difference to others, and also to acknowledge the difference they’ve made to my life. Thank you.