30 March 2023

In April, new peer support groups will be launched for Leiden University students who have experienced sexual harassment. If you feel the need to share your experiences with peers, you may find these guided meetings helpful. The groups will meet at a location outside the university under the guidance of experienced staff members from Slachtofferhulp Nederland (Victim Support Netherlands). There are Dutch-speaking and English-speaking groups.

What will the groups offer?

Slachtofferhulp Nederland will offer a series of in-person, structured sessions for fixed groups of students. Each group will be guided by 2 staff members from Slachtofferhulp Nederland. These staff members will not offer psychological help but will instead facilitate the meetings during which the focus will be on recognition, acknowledgement and supporting one another.

Before joining a group, you will first take part in an intake appointment conducted by Slachtofferhulp Nederland. After joining a group, you will be expected to attend all sessions. The topics to be discussed by the group will be determined in consultation with all participants. 

Dates and locations

The groups in English will meet on the following dates: 

• Monday 17 April 14.00-16:00
• Monday 8 May 14:00-16:00
• Monday 15 May 14:00-16:00

Location: Slachtofferhulp Nederland Offices, Koninginnegracht 12, The Hague.

Online intake appointments: Thursday 13 April or Friday morning 14 April; times to be decided in consultation.

Each group will consist of 6 to 10 participants.

For groups in Dutch, see the Dutch announcement. 

How to register

Would you to register for a peer support group? You can sign up till 7 April 17:00 via this online form. After April 7 you will be invited by Slachtofferhulp Nederland for an intake appointment. This will take place without the involvement of Leiden University.  

Registration form

Slachtofferhulp Nederland will treat all information with the utmost confidence and shall in no way disclose, provide or make it known or available to third parties.

What is peer contact?

Exchanging experiences and tools with others who have had similar experiences can be a great help in dealing with traumatic experiences. The power of peer contact is recognition and acknowledgement through the sharing of experiences. Fellow survivors can learn from one another. How did you cope, what issues did you encounter, and what can we draw strength from together? Peer contact facilitates mutual support and understanding.

Other ways of coming into contact with peers

If the support groups for Leiden University students are full, you could instead join one of Slachtofferhulp’s regular groups. These are not exclusively for students but can still enable you to share experiences with other survivors of sexual harassment. Note that these groups are conducted in Dutch.

Are you not comfortable with joining a group. Slachtofferhulp Nederland also has a private online community in which you can anonymously share your story. The website is in Dutch but you can translate it with the Google Translate tool.

If you have questions about peer support, send a mail to lotgenotencontact@slachtofferhulp.nl.