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Hacks for Sexual Assault Disclosures

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Sexual assault is another topic that people will rarely be direct about. Instead, they may talk in euphemisms or even be confused that their experience was consensual when it could not have been, especially for minors.

The fact is that disproportionate numbers of people who struggle with substance use have a history of sexual assault. Because of this, it’s a good idea for your staff to be ready to understand and respond to such disclosures.

In the event that a participant does disclose sexual assault, staff and/or volunteers should first assess for issues of immediate safety and then work with the participant to see what kinds of harm reduction support plan they can make with the person.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Edie Springer’s Worker Stances for Clients Who Use Drugs & Harm Reduction Worker: Best Practices

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Harm reduction immediately resonated for Edie, who was herself a former drug user and methadone patient. Faced with the devastation of HIV’s impact on drug-using communities, Edie fully embraced harm reduction and trained hundreds of harm reduction workers who have carried her legacy with them. She developed these worker stances in 1996 and they have been shared among many of us in the harm reduction community for generations.
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Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hacks

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Though largely unsupported by scientific evidence, the dangers of needle stick injury loom large in the popular imagination. As a result, the emotional response to needle stick injury can be intense even if, statistically, the risks are quite low. For this reason, if no other, it’s essential that harm reduction organizations be prepared for how they might deal with such an eventuality.
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