Learning to live with and heal from injustice is part of the path for most people who experience sexual violence or relationship abuse. This is an age-old path travelled by many before us. Can we ease our own journey by gathering together to listen, to share, and to make space for our collective wisdom to emerge? 

This 90 minute in person gathering followed by a short walk in the woods will be hosted by Nina and Cynthia from The Consent Collective and will use The Circle Way as a way of gathering together. This approach makes space for everyone to be heard in a way that is gentle and truly about community. You may wish to find out more about Circle Way before attending (click here). 

This will be a small group interactive session. Please only sign up if you are committed to attending as your lack of attendance will impact how the session goes. Thank you!

Before signing up to this event please read all of this information as by signing up you are agreeing to everything below:

This event is for people who are on a healing journey as the result of sexual violence or relationship abuse. Sometimes we're on that path because of abuse we've experienced ourselves. Sometimes we're on that path because of the pain experienced by people in our lives. Whether you arrive with us because of sexual violence or relationship abuse that you've experienced yourself, or because of abuse experienced by someone else, at no point will you be asked to give details of any abuse. This circle is about healing.

This event is not a therapy session and should not be used as a substitute for any mental health support you may need. Think of it as a very rich version of a focus group. We are gathering around a question (How do people heal from injustice?) and we are seeking wisdom in relation to that question.

This event is not about any legal or complaints process and it is not about achieving justice through those processes. It's about healing our bodies, minds, hearts and communities from injustice in its widest sense.

This event is only open to people who are aged 18 and over.

This event is open to people of all genders.   

This event will be held in person outdoors. If the weather looks terrible we will contact you the day before to confirm whether we are going ahead at Stanmer Park or if we will move the event to an online one. We will only be a small group - around 8 people in total. If you book a place but find that you cannot attend nearer the time please let us know so that someone else might have your place. 

To make yourself comfortable please dress for the weather. You may want to bring along:

• Water, food, or a themos of coffee
• A rug or something to sit on as we will be sitting on the ground
• Warm clothes in case the wind picks up
• Money for the nearby cafe

Please do not attend if you have any symptoms of COVID. Please bring a facemask and hand sanitiser. We will be able to maintain social distancing at this event. 

For the circle itself you may want to bring along a tealight candle and a container (like an empty glass jam jar) to put it in so that the wind doesn't blow it out.

These are the agreements we will use as part of this circle:

• We agree that any personal material that is shared is confidential and will be kept within the group. We also agree to respect the privacy of people who are not part of this circle as and when we are talking about others by avoiding using names and identifying information where possible.
• We listen with compassion and curiosity. We listen without judging, or feeling the need to comment, fix, or give advice. We do this because we honour the journey that every individual is on and the central role of their own inner wisdom on that journey.
• We agree to ask for what we need and give what we can.
• We agree to the pause. Anyone in the group can call a pause at any moment. We see the pause as a necessary part of the conversation. It gives us a moment to think, to settle, to re-centre ourselves, and to make space for the wisdom that is often located in the quieter parts of our minds.
• We agree to be mindful of what we share and how we share it. We understand that the centre of this circle is healing and we agree to be called back to that centre by anyone in the group. If someone calls a pause whilst we are talking we will recognise that as them holding the shape of the circle, rather than them silencing us.
• We trust that whoever shows up and whatever shows up in this circle is as it should be. 

This event is offered free of charge. We are not a charity and do not get any funding. We choose to trust that our community will support our work. So if you can, please consider buying a book, signing up for a course, or buying some of our clothing so that we can continue to offer events like this for free.