The world pandemic of Covid 19 has forced all of us to change the way we live and the way we work.
Who could have imagined even two weeks ago that we would be self-isolating at home, unable to
meet our clients?

When we realised that we would have to close the office, our immediate concern was for the
wellbeing of the many vulnerable and distressed people who come through our doors every week to
keep appointments with our psychotherapists and advocacy officers. For many clients, this weekly
appointment is an actual lifeline as they explore the impact child sexual abuse has had on their lives.
What could we do to make sure that our services could continue?

Thanks to immense developments in technology we found that we were able to set up secure online
systems so that psychotherapy and advocacy sessions could continue. Not face to face in a therapy
room, but face to face through our laptops. Over 90% of our clients have been able to continue their
regular sessions in this way. For others, there is telephone counselling.

But we are worried about some of our clients who cannot avail of these distance sessions. Some
people are living in situations where they do not have the privacy to have a confidential
conversation with our staff. But we will continue to check in with them regularly to offer support.
We will also keep all the people on our waiting lists informed of developments. And if you are
struggling, call us on 01 6624070 and leave a message. Our phones are monitored throughout the
day and one of our staff will get back to you.

Nobody knows how long this situation will continue, and being confined to our homes can be
stressful and increase our feelings of loneliness. Let’s all try to be extra kind to ourselves and others.
Let’s reach out through phone or online contact with our friends and family. Let’s try to find some
activities we can enjoy away from the relentless frightening news about the epidemic.
One last thing: we have had to cancel all our fundraising events. We rely heavily on fundraising to
fund our vital services. So we would be very grateful if you could make an online donation, however
small, to help us through this time.

Maeve Lewis

CEO